OneMinuteGospel

Grace, Hope, Mercy Where None Should Be Found

from Rachael Denhollander

Should you ever reach the point of truly facing what you have done, the guilt will be crushing. And that is what makes the gospel of Christ so sweet. Because it extends grace and hope and mercy where none should be found. And it will be there for you.

I pray you experience the soul-crushing weight of guilt so you may someday experience true repentance and true forgiveness from God, which you need far more than forgiveness from me—though I extend that to you as well.

87 words

Occasionally, I will stray from posting the OMGs of only pastors and professors, and today is one of those. These words were spoken in court by Rachael Denhollander to Larry Nassar, the former doctor at Michigan State University and USA Gymnastics who had sexually abused her and dozens of other girls. While calling for the maximum penalty for Nassar at his sentencing, at one point Denhollander looked him in the eyes as she spoke these words. You may want to read them again now.

I found the quote above in Joshua M. McNall's book, How Jesus Saves: Atonement for Ordinary People. The full transcript of her heart-rending but compelling testimony can be found on CNN’s website.

God’s wrath is also good news. Justice will ultimately prevail. In the sentence before this quote, Denhollander says to Nassar, “The Bible . . . carries a final judgment where all of God’s wrath and eternal terror is poured out on men like you.” And yet she offers him the gospel, which “extends grace and hope and mercy where none should be found.”                                                                                                              

Perhaps this is how the Apostle Paul felt when he humbly confessed, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst” (1 Timothy 1:15).

What’s your reaction to Rachael Denhollander’s OMG? Share a comment below.

Next post: Friday, December 15, “Hide and Seek” from Bracken Sheldon

-st