We had a good discussion at our small group last Friday night regarding how parents thank, or shouldn’t thank, their kids for doing what is right for them to do anyway. I thought of C. S. Lewis’ comment in Mere Christianity about our heavenly Father.
Every father is pleased at the baby’s first attempt to walk: no father would be satisfied with anything less than a firm, free, manly walk in grown-up son. In the same way, he [George MacDonald] said, ‘God is easy to please, but hard to satisfy.’”
We, as God’s children, bring what we have (that He gave us in the first place), and He receives it from us with joy and in the fellowship.
So in one respect He is easily pleased with us as His children, but He was not so easily “peaced” with us when we were His enemies. Paul wrote to the Romans that “Since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). We do have peace, but no greater pain could have been paid to bring it about.
“Christ died for the ungodly” (Romans 5:6). “We have now been justified by His blood” (Romans 5:9). The prophet Isaiah said, “He was wounded for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace” (Isaiah 53:5).
Though it was not easy, it is finished.
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)
So eat the bread and drink the cup as those with “peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all)” (Acts 10:36).