The Disgrace of grace

The news is full of the release, on compassionate grounds, of convicted terrorist Abdel Baset al-Megrahi. It is front page news around the world.

I feel for the relatives that will never be free from the nightmare of loosing their friends and family in such a way. Nothing anyone can say or do can make a difference to their pain.

This is not meant as a political statement in any way but the whole affair just got me focused again on how unfair an act of grace can be. I heard Ben Stiller say on GMTV today: "It would be better if he was dead." I understand.

If this guy is guilty then he does not deserve compassion or freedom. He certainly does not deserve a heroes homecoming. And this act of grace causes an out cry because it is so unfair. We just can not handle an act of grace for such a terrible man.

It made me think of God's act of grace. The Bible says that while we were YET sinners Jesus Christ died for us. We did not deserve it, we deserved the opposite but while we were still in that state Jesus paid the price. He served our sentence.

I know it is a disgrace but I am so thankful that God's son became my substitute.

Grace has changed my life. Will it change al-Megrahi, on first look probably not. But grace did change a terrorist who died hanging on a cross next to Jesus. What I do know is that grace is our only hope.