“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us… full of grace and truth.”—John 1:14
There is more to grace than I ever imagined.
We sing of amazing grace with the hope and longing that inspires people of all faiths and walks of life.
Theologically, grace is defined as “unmerited favor.” A good, sound concept.
But there is something more tangible about grace. Something we can picture in our minds.
God once told Moses, “I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion” (Exodus 33:19).
Grace, as I discovered in the Hebrew language, is more than a favor granted in spite of our failings.
When God says He will be gracious (to whomever He chooses), He used the word chanan, which adds a new layer to our understanding. Chanan means to show favor, mercy, “to bend or stoop in kindness.”
God is not only granting favor and mercy, but the word picture is of Him bending down to us in kindness, like a father getting down on his knees to embrace his child.
There’s even more to this picture. The root word of chanan means to pitch a tent; to encamp, abide camp, dwell, rest in a tent.
This is more than God granting favor.
He wants to dwell with us, to “camp out” with us! The God who is so beyond us, not of this world, desires for His glory to abide with us and in us.
God will be gracious to whomever He chooses. He will come and live with, dwell with, camp out with whomever He chooses, even when it makes no sense to anyone else. Even if it doesn’t meet our standard of approval.
The Almighty Lord desires to dwell with us. Not just rule over us. Certainly not to start a religion, but to love us and live with us in a tangible, real way. To show us the way, the truth, and the life.
The ultimate experience of God bending down, stooping down to the ground to dwell among us is the incarnation of Jesus.
In an act of great love, Jesus bent down from heaven to lay down His life and show us eternal life in human form. He came to redeem us and to join us in the trials of life. “He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap” (Psalm 113: 7). He comes down to our level.
And He will be gracious, even unto us.
That’s amazing grace.
