The Iniquity of Us All....

I recently went on a retreat with my Sunday School class to Lake Junaluska, NC.  The Lord used this time away to remind me of who He is...and of some basic truths.  One of the verses shared on the trip was Isaiah 53:6.  

"We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all."

This is certainly not a new verse to me...nor a new concept.  However, He did bring it home a little for me.  God is not surprised at all by our humanness...just as it says in this verse...we all have gone astray.  We have each wandered, meandered, ran (choose any and all that may apply!) in another direction than toward the Father.  We have all tried to accomplish dreams or desires on our own...tried to overcome a hurdle by ourselves.  None of this is new, though I did need the reminder.  The end of this verse, however, just struck me.  Yes there is forgiveness for our wanderings and disobedience.  The Bible says in Romans 8:1-2,

"There is now therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives you life has set you free from the law of sin and death."

Basically, Jesus already died for the sin of disobediently wandering.  And we are not to walk in condemnation for that sin that has already been forgiven.  The last part of Isaiah, though, brought a tad bit of conviction for me.  I believe that life is all about balance, and this is definitely not any different.  We are not to live as condemned people because we have grace through Jesus's death on the cross.  Yet, at the same time, we should not be so careless about that gift of grace.  "The Lord laid on Him the iniquity of us all."  There is a price for our disobedience/sin....a price that He paid.

My pastor, Steven Scoggins, said in the recent past that we should not presume upon the grace of God.  That is what I believe this verse is saying.  This verse finds the balance between grace and sin.  The first part comforts by saying...we have ALL gone astray..we are human (or evidently sheep like!) and the second sobers it up with the price for the wandering.  

I think this hit me so hard because I KNOW the Lord.  I am confident in who I am in Him.  I know what the Bible says of Him and of grace.  So, I think the conviction is just in not being apathetic about the price of grace.  I know that when I sin/make the choice to disobey, He has already forgiven me and welcomes me back into His arms.  May I always find a balance and remember that it was laid on Him and that is how I am able to walk so freely with the Father.

Lord I love You! I'm so thankful for grace and the free gift of salvation...forgive me when I've taken it too lightly!