A Rabbi and Two Imams

Thoughts from my reading in Whiter Than Snow: Meditations on Sin and Mercy by Paul David Tripp.

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.
Psalm 51:1

It was a wonderful opportunity. I was asked to participate in an open discussion about death and dying from a patient's perspective. The event was held at a local medical college. It was the first ministry situation I had ever been in where I had sat between a rabbi and two imams. My Jewish and Islamic colleagues were all very warm and articulate, but I had an unfair advantage: I came armed with the gospel.

The gospel does make a difference. Sometimes I forget that some people don't have the same hope I have. Aside from eternal considerations, the gospel makes a difference every day. God is with me and involved in all of my life.

The men on either side of me were gentle and caring. They knew their faith well, but they had one distinct disadvantage: the only message they brought into the room was the message of the law. The only hope they could give was the hope that somehow, someway, a person could be obedient enough to be accepted into eternity with God.

Do I rest in the gospel or do I put confidence in what I have done? Is God going to bless me because I was good? Will I gain His favor because I helped other people?

Our only hope is one thing-God's "steadfast love" and his "abundant mercy" (v. 1). We cannot look to our education, or family, or ministry track record, or our theological knowledge, or our evangelistic zeal, or our faithful obedience. We have one hope; it is the hope to which this ancient psalm looks.

As I rest in the gospel I shouldn't take it for granted. Jesus paid the price for it with his life.

Here is a question from the end of the meditation: Do you really believe that your only hope in life is found in God's grace? Is your daily habit to admit that there is nothing you have done or could ever do to earn or deserve the blessings that you have been given? Is your life more characterized by thankfulness or complaint?

I believe that my only hope is in the gospel but I think there are times when I think that what I have done either good or bad will affect how God looks at me.

As far as thankfulness or complaint goes, it depends. I try to be thankful to God and at least in my mind I know there is nothing to complain about. As far as people go, I complain more. I see the things people do wrong and tend to focus on that. I have a hard time remembering to give praise to people.

Lord, thank you for your grace, love and mercy, help me to rest in it and to extend it to others too.

Philip
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