Tonight, I had a panic attack.  Not fully, but I did run faster than I ever have in my life to get to my laptop.  Why?  Because tonight at 9:01 p.m. I got an email from one of my professors that shook my foundations.

10 days ago, in Guy Rohrbaugh’s “Intermediate Ethics” class, I had a paper due on projectivism vs. sensibility theory (not that you care what that is).  This paper basically singlehandedly could determine my grade in the class.  Anyway, to my knowledge, I had submitted it ten days ago before I left for home for Thanksgiving break and not given it a second though.

Back to the email.
Title of the email: MIA.
Content:  Gotta get your paper in.  10 days and your A+ turns into a D.  Mercy is not unknown to my cold black heart but you gotta give me something to work with i.e. a paper.  No previous danger signs, so I’m not sure what is up here.

Hence ensues my freakout and panic. Anyway, I have since turned in said paper both in email and online class program and hopefully will receive a good grade.  Hopefully.

But isn’t this a beautiful picture of God’s grace?  Isn’t it wonderful that the Lord is a truer and better version of my professor, giving me not what I deserve but instead wiping the slate clean.
What’s the difference though?  God doesn’t even require a paper.  I do not have to earn it, but instead it’s like another students A comes to me, and they take my F.  Christ takes my failing grade and I get the A.  Wild.

To imagine I freaked out like I did tonight over a paper, but don’t have quite the same urgency for the gospel at all times.  Thankful to have a gracious God, as we all should be.

Isaiah 53:6 says:

And that- my friends, is beautiful.  Much more beautiful than any grade I could get in Intermediate Ethics.