God’s grace is a funny thing. Not a “laugh out loud” kind of funny. Simply funny in the sense that we do not understand or grasp it. It goes against the grain of what our temporal and sinful selves expect. It is an expression of His love for those we deem unworthy of it.

We might ask (and often do), “How could a just God seek to save that proud and sinful person?” Frequently, these thoughts don’t come from a longing for godly justice. Instead, if we’re honest with ourselves, it’s just our own sinful pride blinding us to our own condition. Rightly, God declares in Isaiah 55, “my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways.”

A great example of God’s extravagant grace is shown to us in Daniel 4. King Nebuchadnezzar has built a vast and powerful empire, conquered many lands including Israel and Judah, and has been ruthless in doing so. He has also, by this time, seen God rescue Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from his fiery furnace. Nebuchadnezzar knows how powerful God is. He is warned in a dream that Daniel interprets for him to repent of his sinful ways, or he will lose everything. And yet, Nebuchadnezzar stays his course, denying God’s power, relying on himself, refusing to submit, considering that he is too powerful for God to judge him.

At this point, his dream comes to fruition. God takes away Nebuchadnezzar’s humanity. Nebuchadnezzar loses his mind and becomes like a beast of the field. His hair and nails grow long. He eats grass like an animal, cast out from his kingdom. He has lost everything. Surely, this is God’s righteous justice in action. This man deserves death for his wicked and sinful life. For his persecution and crimes against God’s chosen people. Surely this man is beyond saving.

But, as we hear in verse 34, “I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me. I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored the one who lives forever.” And then later, in verse 37, “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are truth, and his ways are justice; and he is able to bring low those who walk in pride.”

God shows mercy and grace to a tremendously sinful and proud tyrant, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. He restores Nebuchadnezzar to his kingdom, and he prospers more than he did before. In the simple act of looking to heaven, the simplest declaration of submission to, and faith in, the one true God, Nebuchadnezzar is forgiven and changed forever by God’s grace.

Like Nebuchadnezzar, we too are lost and condemned on account of our sins. We want to rely on ourselves. We want to believe that we are enough. We want to believe we don’t need a Savior.

The good news is that God will go to unimaginable lengths to bring sinful people like Nebuchadnezzar...like you...like me to faith and repentance. Because of the finished work of Christ, our salvation is secured. All it takes is looking to the cross of Jesus. And God will do whatever it takes to drive us towards Christ.