Have you ever done a personality test? Myers-Briggs, Enneagram. It can be fun exploring what makes you and other people tick, how you think, make decisions and interact with the world. I wonder what would God’s personality would look like? What makes God ‘tick’, what’s at the heart of who God is and how would we know?
Back in the Old Testament, Moses asked that very question and God revealed his personality, his character and heart : “I am the Lord, the merciful and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in steadfast love and truth. I show this steadfast love to many thousands by forgiving their sins.” (Exodus 34)
Again and again in the scriptures God reveals his gracious and merciful character as gracious, one full of Grace. The Hebrew word Khanun (gracious), is about showing undeserved favour, something delightful, a beautiful gift.
It’s one thing to say somebody is kind, funny or friendly, but that’s only what other people say. You only really get to know what they’re like when you meet them in person. So that we would really know for sure his gracious heart, God became one of us, fully human in Jesus. St Paul experienced this grace first-hand on the road to Damascus and became known as the apostle of Grace. In the Greek of the New Testament, the word is Charis and Paul used that word 106 times in his letters.
One of the best expressions of that is in Ephesians 2-
“Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved through faith. It is the gift of God”.
On the cross, we see the heart of God, what Grace looks like, what it costs, not you or me, but what it costs God to set us free! We could never do it on our own, God did it for us. That’s why Easter matters, that’s why Grace matters! In this Lent and Easter season, you are invited simply to receive this gift once again.
Pastor David Spike
Pastor for Ministry and Formation
david.spike@levnt.edu.au
