“The gospel says that you are more sinful and flawed
than you ever dared believe, but more accepted and loved than you ever dared
hoped,” – Tim Keller
A young girl, who’s gone to hell and back, thinks
that she doesn’t deserve a chance in life. Sound familiar? Can you relate? I’ve
been there – bad things have happened and I’ve done bad things – but God has
different plans for us - plans of mercy, love, and hope.
I recently read, Mercy’s
Rain by Cindy Sproles, which portrays the life of Mercy Roller, a girl who
was ruthlessly abused by her father and involved in his death. Set in old Appalachia,
Mercy’s Rain reminds us that God has
a plan to love, forgive, and heal all of us, even those of us, who have been
terribly hurt or have others. While reading this book, three things stood out
for me:
The
healing power of Christian community. Mercy receives
healing from God, but equally important, she is loved by his followers. There is
a scene in which, Mercy meets another young woman Isabella, a kindred spirit,
who she can open up to. Isabella holds
Mercy while she cries, rocking her through the night, not asking questions, but
just being present. It is the first time that Mercy experiences Jesus through
the flesh of another. A striking reminder of how important Christian community
is to a hurting world.
There
is nothing too big for God to heal. Mercy received
literal and emotional scars at the hands of her father. All of us, have at one
time or another, been hurt and these hurts endure. Sometimes we feel they will
never go away. And, although, Mercy may always have her scars, God through His
son, Jesus, mends her hurt and gives her new life. We too, are always, invited
to receive this kind of healing.
Nothing
is too ugly for God to forgive. Mercy feels
implicated in her Father’s death. Could God forgive a killer? We may not be
killers, but all of us, have made big mistakes and hurt others. It is, as Rev.
Keller describes, we are more “flawed and sinful” than we ever believed. This
sin and guilt may lead to crushing, self-condemnation. Mercy’s journey to
receive God’s forgiveness for her sins, allows us to reflect on our own
inadequacies, and just how desperately, we need to Father’s forgiveness and
thanks be to God, he is always so quick to give it.
Last thought: author Cindy Sproles is super cool,
approachable, and next week, I will have her as my guest blogger. I hope
everyone has a blessed weekend!