[We] are justified freely by his grace.
—Romans 3:24
Reflecting on history from the beginning to the present, I could understand an enraged, punishment-inflicting God.
But the grace of God is beyond my comprehension.
By God’s grace, David, the adulterer and murderer, becomes Israel’s greatest king and psalmist.
By God’s grace, Simon, the betrayer of Jesus, becomes Peter the preacher and apostle.
By God’s grace, Saul, the terrorist, becomes Paul the missionary and chief spokesman for Christianity.
By God’s grace, we, marred by sins, flaws, and failures, become his forgiven, saved, and beloved children.
He is the God of the second chance—and the third, and the fourth, and the . . .
God wants to get you into heaven,
not keep you out.