They are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
(Romans 3.24 NRSV)
The rock group Genesis has a song titled "No Son of Mine." The story tells of a son that leaves home under a cloud. He feels that if he doesn't leave he will never grow. As he gets older, though, he wants to reconcile with his father. He goes home "with his heart in his hand." His father rejects him. His father says, "You're no son of mine."(1) As far as this father was concerned it was payback time. The boy had rejected his father; now the father would do the same. "You've made your bed; now you can lie in it!" That's one kind of father but there is another.

A certain father said to his four children, "the last one up the stairs is going to get a licking." The youngest child, only 6 at the time, had no chance against 9, 13 and 16 year olds. She knew she was the last one and slowly she returned down the steps to get her licking. She took one step at a time, painfully getting closer to her father who was sitting on a sofa. She sat down beside him, for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, her father said, "Are you ready for your licking?" Reluctantly, she said "yes," as her siblings peered from the top of the steps between the woodwork. Her father turned to her and with his tongue licked her cheek. He chuckled, then sent her to bed.

Jesus reminds us that no matter how hard we try we never deserve God's grace--it is a free gift. It doesn't matter how long or hard we work. It doesn't matter how pious our demeanor. We cannot earn God's love and acceptance. It is poured out freely on us all.

Dear God, help me to accept your gift and share it. Amen.

Ron Newhouse

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