From the last section of Thomas Oden's book The Justification Reader.
Divine pardon is a gift that requires a response. It is a personal gift that must be received by a personal agent.
It is like a costly gift of love that hopes and calls for a response in order that it may be completely given and received.
The benefit of justifying grace can be received only if they are received in trusting responsiveness. Faith's part is simply to acknowledge the rightness of God's act by receiving it trustingly, obediently. Faith praises the Justifier by taking seriously his costly, justifying action.
Receive the gift...it is yours! No other power can bring life like the promise of God to love us in every time and in all places of our lives. There is no way to enter that life if we do not trust, have faith, in the one who brings us into a new life. We each have many reason and excuses as to why we are not "suitable" to live a new life or to be forgiven or to reach out and take hold of a direction for life that we have previously ignored...and yet, when we do that, we turn our back on the One who bids us to enter life and take hold of it abundantly. Remember, no event in our lives has the power to diminish our lives when we trust and accept the gift of God's love for us...a love that pardons and enriches us and will not fail us. We are only asked to receive the gift...take it as ours.
Connection: There is this never ending voice that calls to us to "come home." That is, trust what God has done for us and will do for us each and every day. This day may indeed be filled with a legend of demons that pursue us and try to knock us down, but...our God never ceases to bid us to trust in God's peace and love. Today just may be a day to remind ourselves of the "home" that is ours now and forever.
By your Grace, O Lord, we come to this day reminded of a vision for life that is not consumed by the many powers of discouragement and despair that attempt to trip us up along the way. Be for us the steady hand that supports us in the midst of all trials so that we may may learn to receive you promised life even when it is so difficult to see. Amen.
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