God's Mercy and Grace
11/19/14 
So-Young Lee
Recently, there was an article in Daily Mail which described an Andy Warhol sketch worth 1. 3 million Euro by a man for just 5 dollars at a garage sale. He purchased the work from a man whose aunt used to care for Warhol when he was a child. This drawing was believed to be drawn by the artist when he was 10 or 11 years old. The same article noted the possibility if the drawing was to be sold, theoretically it can fetch ten times more than 1.3 million.
Many of us are familiar with image of God the Father as the potter and human being as GodЎs clay works, but have you considered our God as a genius and not a poor, untalented artist? Let us consider GodЎs most recognized achievements such as the known Universe and our planet Earth. Based on these two alone we know God is an artist like no other.
According to the New Testament, this artist valued and loved us so much that two thousand years ago, this God sent the only begotten Son, Jesus Christ to carry away Sin and forever mend the Cosmic breach between our God and GodЎs children who had fallen and lived in a tarnished world full of pain and death. This is a testimony to our worth. God prizes us above all that was created. God sees us as something worth fighting for and saving. This story tells of GodЎs mercy. This is a story of justice and grace that very few could have every imagined.
Why am I bringing up a common theme in Christianity? DonЎt we know this already? It has been chanted and repeated in Christian camps and Sunday schools that God loved the world so much that GodЎs only Son was sent. I bring this up because I did not believe this while I was growing up in church.
I did not believe this because while I was a child, I was told directly and indirectly my life and the lives of my parents would have been better and easier if I was a boy. I was told directly and indirectly I was less because I was Asian and a South Korean, a citizen of a half country. I believed I mattered less because I was poor by some teachers in school and church.
I believed all these lies because these were the reflections the world showed me. There were few whispers of God in Heaven who sent the Son for me but why would God care about me when I was so insignificant and small? I was taught Eve was the cause of Fall of Man and surely God would not care for another female. But even in despair and depression I held on to the hope that perhaps the Lord did care, maybe cared enough to throw a crumb in my direction.
One day, God did enter my life and illuminated GodЎs tender mercies and personal intervention through GodЎs Son. It was not done through church or school. Jesus Christ reached out to me when I was in sin. Jesus Christ made our relationship real though His actions and intervention. I knew then all my sufferings and loneliness were for greater good and they had purpose. It was to have me reach out to Jesus. He did not care I reached out to in anger, bitterness and sorrow. I think Jesus was just glad I tried. Jesus replied in gentleness and love. This is the kind of Savior we have. It took me a long to see this. Mainly, it was because of what I brought to the table with me when I was addressing Jesus. I brought sins, lack of biblical understanding of whom and what I was. I think this is not stressed in some churches.
A church should not be a social place. It should be a place of learning about Jesus and recognizing we are all sick with sin and pain. Often we come there pretending nothing is wrong and act like we are in perfection. This is not true. ItЎs like going to an emergency room with a
chest pain and pretending there is nothing wrong with you. Why are you there? Seek the help you need. I think this lack of participation may have to do with some influences from oneЎs pride and I think that is why pride is considered a great sin to our Lord. It prevents us from asking and seeking Jesus. If we do this in ignorance, let us be educated quickly to overcome the problems of living in this world.
When I was a small child I felt in my heart the world should be a better place but often find pain inflicted in layers. In order to make sense of life and the world I live in, I wanted to believe the Cosmos or a superior being caring for us and our suffering. I do not believe this is a unique concept. How do I know this to be true? Historical records of past civilizations showed all have attempted to address this with religions and belief systems. Thus I realized, I and other members of human kind want to know pain and suffering matters, and we hope someone is keeping score to avenge us and to bring us justice. I found that there is such a God. His name is Jesus Christ. Jesus is no stranger to sufferings. He knows what is like to have friends betray him. He was misunderstood by his family and falsely accused by religious and secular leaders. Jesus was put to a shameful death- naked, beaten and died on public display. Here is a God who understands your sorrows. Jesus understood mine. Not only that, Jesus is keeping score. Our Savior was resurrected and now sits on the right hand of the God and He will make everything new and wipe away every tear in his time.
Let me share with you a little more about Jesus that I know. Shortly after I got married, I had to relocate to a different area and worked in the same hospital as my husband. The hospital asked a department to make room and place for me. They complied but were not happy about the situation and made it very clear that I was not welcomed from the beginning. I was not officially introduced to others in the hospital. I was given no orientations on the inner workings of the department or given any help about maneuvering through other departments to get their cooperation or input. It was difficult get my work done and I felt rejected and often had to eat lunch alone but I recall all the other times Jesus has been there for me and I held on and persevered. Through time and effort I win over the people in the work place and was later promoted. This is how Jesus often works with me. He gives me challenges and blesses me through them.
However, there had been challenges where I felt I just suffered and no good came about them. In such cases, I plead my case before Jesus Christ and ask what needs to be changed in me. Sometimes I get an answer that my willingness to suffer through and be obedient was what Jesus was looking for. These events are not pleasant to go through but I realize as I endure and believe, I am pleasing Jesus and He is faithful. Ultimately, I believe in His promise that Jesus will always be there for me. Jesus keeps sins from me by having me depend on His Words and Holy Spirit to fight for me. When you are tempted, call upon Jesus and hold on to his promises and praise Him if the Battle gets hard. God will give you the Spirit of peace, love and a sound mind.
ItЎs also important to seek appropriate help. I do not think all teachers were appropriate when I attended public schools and colleges. Same can be said about teachers and leaders in churches. There should be recognition for abuse and neglect in the church as well as ways to address them. Privacy of individuals should be respected without hindering the works of God. That means there should be boundaries. This was one of the hardest things I learned from Jesus. Jesus Christ is never a dictator. He is a nurturing teacher who showed me my errors but never judged me in front of other. Jesus showed me the errors and sins in others but did not allow me to judge them. However, He made me stay away and drop contact with those who hurt or abused me while He asked me to consider forgiving them for my sake. In general, Jesus taught me wisdom little bit at a time.
Perhaps those of us reading are already aware of this, and I am being redundant. Please forgive me if I am. I came from many years of ignorance and lead to years of doubt that delayed my growth in Jesus Christ. I write in hope that there is someone who needs to read this and consider pursing a living relationship with our Lord. Those of you in doubt and darkness, reach out to our Lord and Savior. Taste and see how good and loving and merciful your God, Jesus Christ is. Reach out and say, "Show me that you exist and you care." Jesus will answer.