MAKING THE GRADE

When you think about it, most things have a standard that needs to be met. Sometimes not meeting the standard is not a big deal. Like when you are not tall enough to get on a ride or you do not have enough cash on hand to buy that delicious doughnut. But at other times not meeting the standard is more costly. Like failing grade 6 (does anybody actually fail these days) or exceeding the speed limit and getting a big ticket or failing your emission test.

We have standards to meet at the airstrip as well. To have the airstrip level we need to add or remove clay to reach a certain standard which is called grade. When gravel is put on the clay to provide a smooth finish for the planes to land there is another grade to be met. Imagine trying to land an airplane on an airstrip that ignored grade.

All over the airstrip there are grade stakes to mark the standard that needs to be met.

Some of these stakes require clay or gravel to be removed. That is a cut stake marked with a blue ribbon and the amount to be removed written on the side.

Some are fill stakes with a pink ribbon to mark the fill level and the amount of fill written on the side.

 

 But there are also those stakes that make the grade. They are marked with a blue and pink ribbon together and 0-0 written on the side of the stake. (ERW stands for edge of runway). This part of the runway is justified, that is declared right in relation to the standard.

 Justified, I so love that Bible truth and the reality it brings in relation to God. Declared right with God. The greatest lie on earth is that we can work to make the grade and earn justification with God. One of my favorite handout booklets is "God Does Not Grade on a Curve". The great truth is that we are all sinners in need of God to justify us through Jesus Christ. Jesus took the punishment our sins deserved so God could forgive us. Jesus kept God's standard perfectly (he made the grade) and then God placed the righteousness of Jesus upon us so that God could declare us right with Him. What a marvelous truth. It gets richer each day. God will keep us justified and cause us to stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy through Jesus Christ our Lord (from Jude 24,25 my favorite benediction). Making the grade in Jesus Christ must keep us worshiping for all eternity. You have it all. Rejoice and worship.