Imagine somebody dressed in rags and moaning about hunger pangs when all around them there was plenty of food free for the taking if they only had eyes to see it.
That is the plight of every person who doesn’t know the grace of God.
They are dressed in rags. “We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away” (Isaiah 64:66But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. (Isaiah 64:6)). Right now, millions of people are dressed in the rags of unrighteousness and don’t even know it because they don’t know anything about God’s holiness or grace.
Spiritual hunger troubles them as well. How could it be otherwise when God has made us to feed on Him? That means to find our satisfaction, fulfillment and daily purpose through Him and what He provides. But instead we try to fill our hearts with everything but God. I have heard of people eating pies made out of mud because they suffered from so much physical hunger. That is hard for me to imagine, but it is just like people trying to fill up the emptiness of their hearts by sinning. There is nothing the least bit nutritious for the soul about sin. Do you think there is anything wholesome and enduring about lies, theft, greed, hatred, extramarital sex, pride or slander? There isn’t — not a bit.
Spiritual Blindness
Blindness too afflicts them. Sinners become blind by their unbelief and evil desires. Evil passions wreck their eyesight when it comes to God and His goodness. They just can’t perceive it. Spiritual blindness, when a person can’t see where they are going or what they are tripping over, is a rotten state to be in. “Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house” (Ezekiel 12:22Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house. (Ezekiel 12:2)).
Having spiritual blindness, they can’t see the wonderful fullness of God’s grace all around them. They miss out on God’s goodness. They have no use for the truth that God sent His Son into the world. They can’t see their need for repentance or their need to have their sins forgiven. They can’t see that the thought of a loving God makes any sense at all. In their blindness they run after things that will never satisfy.
Good News
Spiritual rags, hunger and blindness are all troubling problems that are very symptomatic of sinners. But the good news is that there is a remedy to sin’s misery. In the fullness of His love, God sent His Son into the world. Christ Jesus had so much love for people that He freely gave His life at Calvary. Because of His death, sinners dead in sins and trespasses can be brought back to life. The blood He shed at the cross has the power to wash away sins. Sinners are reckoned righteous and justified when they believe in Him. God takes away the rags they were dressed in and gives them the garment of true righteousness. He heals their blindness so they can see God’s goodness and grace. And He feeds them with the finest of spiritual wheat, for He enables them to feed upon His Son, who is the “Bread of Life.” “Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to Me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst” (John 6:3535And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. (John 6:35)). The Lord Jesus, both man and God in the same person, is true food for the human soul.
God’s Plenty
God makes known His plenty for those who repent and turn to Jesus in faith.
He is overflowing with mercy. “Thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon Thee” (Psalm 86:55For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. (Psalm 86:5)). There is an abundance of mercy for those who believe in Christ. “God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us” (Ephesians 2:44But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, (Ephesians 2:4)).
God is overflowing with redemption. “Let Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is plenteous redemption” (Psalm 130:77Let Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption. (Psalm 130:7)). Redemption means God will deliver you from all your problems, even the problem of sin and death. To deliver men and women from the eternal death sins deserve, Christ died on the cross. “I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Through His death and resurrection, the Lord Jesus became the great Redeemer for the human race. Will you believe in Him?
And He is overflowing in truth too. “Thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, long-suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth” (Psalm 86:1515But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. (Psalm 86:15)). The Lord Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me” (John 14:66Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6)). The truth has the power to set us free so that we can look up to God in faith.
He is a God who can make all grace abound. “God is able to make all grace abound toward you” (2 Corinthians 9:8). Grace is what we need as sinners to find salvation. “By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:88For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (Ephesians 2:8)). And it is grace that we need as believers every day of our lives until we are brought home to heaven. In heaven believers in Christ will celebrate God’s grace forever. “That in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:77That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:7)). God will share the riches of His grace with believers throughout eternity. Will you be in heaven to celebrate His grace? You will be, if you genuinely believe in the Lord Jesus as your Savior.
Why continue another day in the rags and ruin of sin when God has done so much for you? If you only had eyes to see, you would see how ready God is to bless you with His grace.
Come to the Savior by faith that the blessing of eternal life may be yours! There is so much grace, love, mercy and truth in Christ that the whole world may come to Him and be saved.
Find out more about true riches in a world filled with despair in Deaths of Despair.