God's mercy, grace, and forgiveness grows ever more precious to me as I age. It's not so much that I feel like I'm staring death in the face. But it is a deepening awareness of how desperately I need God's forgiveness and the righteousness of Christ Jesus.
That became very real and personal to me at that Bible study when I shared Walter Wangerin's Ragman parable. As I was reading it to the few people who were there, I could barely keep from weeping. It was so emotional. And this is the wonder of it all for me: to think that someone so good, so powerful, so strong, so gracious should seek me out an offer me his better clothing touches a place deep in my heart.
When I fall asleep at the end of my life, I look forward to waking up and seeing the my ugly rags shining for cleanness because he died for my sins, and yours, and the world's. And his resurrection fully vindicates all who put their faith in him.
