“I led them with cords of kindness and with the ropes of love. I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their necks, and I bent down to them and fed them.” (Hos.11:4)
Heavenly Father, this verse from your Word is a kiss from heaven, a large glass of living water—a reminder that you are way more involved in writing our stories and way more loving than we consistently perceive. You break the chains of our enslavements and bind us to yourself with unbreakable kindness-cords and love-ropes. In the Gospel you have bent low to save us, care for us, and feed us—and that will be our song throughout eternity. Hallelujah, what a Savior Jesus is! Hallelujah, what a salvation you freely give us by your grace.
At the end of yesterday, me and my friends held a rope of 19 beautiful just-caught Walleyes for the standard “group pic.” But that rope is more a stringer of men than fish. Thank you for catching us, Father. Thank you for pursuing us, finding us, and saving us—to cherish not to consume! Thank you for binding us to yourself and to each other. Only yours is the love that will never let go of us and will continue changing us until the Day you make us 100% like Jesus (Phil.1:6).
Abba, all of us who read these daily grace musings and Gospel meditations own this as our prayer. A group pic of our own would include different faces and stories—but we thank you for saving us by the finished work of Jesus and for giving us friends with whom to share life. Thank you for the fun things we get to do, the privilege of bearing each other’s burdens, and for the honor of serving you together. We’re still a mess, but we’re your mess (Hallelujah!). We still need your grace and you still give grace upon grace (HALLELUJAH!). So Very Amen.
