The Beauty of Getting What You Do Not Deserve

Do you ever get something good that you do not deserve? I’ve had my share of opportunities to deserve one thing but get something better. Some of our community’s finest have stopped to talk to me. I am always so grateful to make their acquaintance and am impressed with the amount of effort they demonstrate to say hi.

You have possibly been where I am talking about before.

I remember driving through town one day not paying attention to what speed I was going. I had pulled off of a major highway with a speed limit of 65. As I drove through town, the speed limit was just 35. About two blocks down the road, near an intersection, I saw a police cruiser pull behind my vehicle with the lights on. I made my legal left-hand turn and pulled over as soon as I could do so safely. The police officer approached the vehicle and asked if I were in a hurry. I explained to him that I was not since I was running ahead of schedule and had plenty of time. I simply explained to him that I was not paying attention to my speed as I drove and talked with the person in the car with me. He asked a number of other questions as well. After his questions, he explained that I was traveling 60 mph in a 35 mph zone. Yikes!

He caught me at 25 mph over the speed limit. Guilty. Although my intention was not to break the speed limit, he caught me. My inattention to my vehicle’s speed meant that I broke a law – intentional or not.

After a few moments back in his vehicle, he walked back up to my window. He said, “Mr. Carson, I hope you have a good day and pay more attention to your speed next time.”

What? No ticket? I thought to myself (no way I was going to say it to the officer), “How is this even possible?”

You can imagine my delight. I deserved a speeding ticket; I received what I did not deserve.

Why I Was Reminded of This Story

I have spent some time in Ephesians 2 this week and discussed these three verses at length in my life group. Paul writes:

And you, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. (Eph 2:1-3)

At this point in this passage, we are dead to rights.

Dead in trespasses and sins

Having walked according to the course of this world

Having walked according to the prince of the power of the air

Living according to the lust of the flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind

By nature, children of God’s wrath

Look at that list. Dead. Guilty. Unsatisfied.

Simply stating it, we are guilty of God’s wrath both by our sin choices and our sin nature.

But God…

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (Eph 2:4-10)

Although we deserve God’s wrath, God chose to provide us salvation in Jesus Christ.

We get what we do not deserve!

When we were nothing less than dead to rights, God through Jesus Christ provided us forgiveness and restoration according to the exceeding riches of His grace.

Total gift. Totally not deserved. In fact, we deserved the book thrown at us. But, no, instead we get great grace.

It is even greater than simply “not punished.” He does a good work in us. God saves us and sanctifies us. We can save this incredible gem for another day.

Oh, the beauty of getting what you do not deserve! Grace upon grace in Jesus Christ instead of what our sins deserve.

Now, let’s live like it today.