Grace When Things Aren’t Up to Snuff

“Absolutely not! They’re in no condition. They took their own way and they can pay the price. It’s called sowing and reaping! They can’t have it both ways. We’re not bending things around here to see them restored. We know how to dig in our heels! We’re sticking to our guns! Our decision remains firm.”

It doesn’t take much imagination to visualize the clenched jaw above and that determined facial expression of someone who’s closed to reason. They have no intentions of reconsidering a matter or of being gracious – and that’s not a typo.  “Gracious” is in fact a word that represents a certain attitude which produces an all-too rare response.

Consider the new King Hezekiah who longed to see the fractured kingdom spiritually restored. Things were in a bad state and idolatry was rampant. Important Jewish Feasts like the Passover had long been abandoned by the majority.

The King’s men hit the roads with an invitation for all to come to Jerusalem for the reinstatement of the Passover Feast in all its greatness. Some ridiculed the invitation but others packed their bags and headed towards Jerusalem to participate in the spiritual festival.

The Passover was to be held the same time every year but could be delayed one month under extenuating circumstances. King Hezekiah believed this was one of those times when an exception should be made.  Thank God for people who know when to make wise exceptions. But even with a month’s postponement, not all were really in the condition to engage in these spiritual activities. There were failures and shortcomings.

The Passover was a very personal activity when each individual was responsible for killing their own lamb. The reality was - some potential worshippers were not yet up-to-snuff spiritually so others had to act on their behalf. You might call it a ‘bending of the rules’ or a ‘compromise’ or ‘making allowances’ or ‘giving in’ or ‘being soft and spineless’ – but really in character, it was grace! Hezekiah with a heart in tune with the Lord wanted above everything else to see the people restored to the Lord and to give God His rightful place in the nation. The process would be marked by grace.

Listen to King Hezekiah pray regarding the allowances he made in response to the people’s failure to be ready for the ceremony:

For there were many in the assembly who had not consecrated themselves.

Therefore the Levites had to slaughter the Passover lamb for everyone who was not clean, to consecrate it to the LORD.

For a majority of the people…had not cleansed themselves,

yet they ate the Passover otherwise than as prescribed.

For Hezekiah had prayed for them, saying,

"May the good LORD pardon everyone who sets his heart to seek God, the LORD, the God of his fathers,

even though not according to the sanctuary's rules of cleanness."

(2Chronicles 30:17-19)

On this side of Heaven there will always be shortcomings and imperfections. How we deal with those less-than-ideal circumstances is the real indicator of how Christ-like we are. We might be able to present profound truths from the Bible or even use it like a sledge-hammer. But how we respond to less-than-best circumstances is the true test of our spirituality.

Listen to the sweetness of Hezekiah’s shepherd-like intervention at the Throne of Grace: “May the good Lord pardon everyone who deep down wants to seek the Lord but who doesn’t quite measure up to the Scriptural expectations yet.”

Often we fail to see in others the inner spark of desire to please the Lord because our vision goes no deeper than the external. Why is that? If I myself am lacking spirituality, it’s easier for me to criticize what’s visible because my ailing spiritual eyesight is unable to discern the inner spark of desire in the Christian’s heart to please the Lord.  A spiritual leader can see the unobservable spiritual desire and potential deep within a believer and know how to work with the hidden spark to see a future flame burning for the Lord. That’s Christlikeness and that’s grace.

Walk carefully and closely with the Lord today.

Warmly in Christ

Peter Ramsay

peter@heaven4sure.com