Surprised by Grace (and Jon Foreman)
Recently I was on an “old” music kick, listening to some of my favorites from college. Yes, it obviously made me feel old and nostalgic and joyful, but then I heard some lyrics with fresh ears as if I’d never heard them before.
Maybe redemption has stories to tell
Maybe forgiveness is right where you fell
Where can you run to escape from yourself?
Where you gonna go?
Where you gonna go?
Salvation is here!
- “Dare You to Move,” Switchfoot
I’ve done a lot of living in the couple of decades since I first heard this song. In that time, something that has continued to surprise me is how good grace actually is. It never fails. I’ll have some new experience of grace that’s overwhelming and think “Ah, now I get it.” Then sometime later I’ll see it to a degree I'd never imagined possible before.
I could tell you as a kid that grace is “getting something you don’t deserve.” And at some point, I began to really directly experience the unmerited forgiveness of God. I’ve had friends forgive me when I’ve hurt them, and really love me when they could have rejected me.
As time went on I got married and started sharing my life with someone who now knows me better than anyone else in the world, and somehow still loves me, though I so often feel undeserving.
I even learned eventually what it feels like to actually forgive someone who’s hurt you without even getting an apology. Just accepting the hurt and giving them only love in return.
And each of these experiences increased my understanding of the source of all grace and love. It helped me see more of God as I gave and received more like him, seeing a more robust and beautiful picture of how wonderful love is, how much better life together could be if we all loved as he does.
So after all these times, “Dare You to Move” sounded brand new to me. “Maybe redemption has stories to tell.” I’VE GOT SOME REDEMPTION STORIES! “Maybe forgiveness is right where you fell.” YOU DON’T HAVE TO PUT YOURSELF BACK TOGETHER OR EARN FORGIVENESS. YOU’RE ALREADY FORGIVEN! RIGHT HERE! RIGHT WHERE YOU FELL!
Hearing this now, it makes me hear Psalm 86:
5 O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive,
so full of unfailing love for all who ask for your help.
6 Listen closely to my prayer, O Lord;
hear my urgent cry.
7 I will call to you whenever I’m in trouble,
and you will answer me.
God is so good, so ready to forgive, so full of unfailing love for us. That’s who he is, and who he always will be.
And I’ve seen this proved true in bigger and more surprising ways over and over. I mess up, feeling more and more the weight of my shortcomings and weaknesses, and then time and time again, experience undeserved forgiveness and unconditional love. Every time I feel like I’ve exhausted it, I find I’m still loved. Really, actually loved and accepted.
Could this really be true? Could forgiveness really be right where you fell? Is there still grace for us today? Where you gonna go? Where you gonna go? Salvation is here!
I’m still convinced the answer to all this is yes. I love you. We need each other. And you’re not alone.