It Is God’s Nature to Save

Let me say how grateful we are to those who make gifts that enable this ministry to touch so many. Your generous support is a real God-send.

Beloved author and scholar Henri Nouwen once told a parable about an old man who used to meditate each day by the Ganges River in India.

One morning he saw a scorpion floating on the water. When the scorpion drifted near, the old man reached out to rescue it. Immediately he was stung by the scorpion. A short time later the man tried again and once again was stung. His hand began to swell, giving him tremendous pain. Another man witnessing what was happening called out, “Hey, stupid old man, what’s wrong with you? Only a fool would risk his life for sake of an ugly, evil creature. Don’t you know you could kill yourself trying to save that ungrateful scorpion?”

The old man calmly replied, “My friend, just because it is in the scorpion’s nature to sting, does not change my nature to save.”

Sometimes I’ve heard people say, “Oh God could never love me. God could never forgive me. If you only knew half the things I’ve done in my life…” And truth be told, I have to imagine that we have all done things or said things that have broken God’s heart. But, Nouwen’s point is well taken. It is in God’s nature to save – because it is in God’s nature to love. Even when we miss the mark, or outright reject God’s love, that doesn’t stop God from reaching out with forgiveness, love, and hope again and again.

Thanks be to God!

Let us pray: Eternal God, we thank you that there is more grace in you than there is sin in us. Thank you for your persistent forgiveness and mercy. In spite of our nature, your nature is love. And so we praise you. Amen.