You are currently browsing the tag archive for the ‘forgiveness’ tag.
The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Romans 8:16
Three third grade girls were overheard on the playground. Two of the girls were new to the school and playing with their new found friend. In the midst of play, one of the ‘new’ girls said, “We’re sisters, but one of us is adopted.” Her friend said, “Really? Which one of you is adopted?” At that, the sisters looked at each other and got a puzzled look on their face. They giggled their reply, “Um…we don’t remember!”
That’s what it’s like to be adopted as a child of God. When you are a guest in a home you are limited in what you can do and where you can go. Even if the host gives you ‘all liberty’, in your heart you realize that some things are just inappropriate unless you are part of that family.
But when you are a child, there are no limitations. You can go where you please. You can answer the telephone and change the television channels. You can get the mail and raid the refrigerator. Oh, and when you are a child, it’s your stuff hanging on the refrigerator too. And your stocking hanging on the fireplace.
You didn’t choose which physical family you were born into. But you can choose your spiritual family. You did nothing to prepare for your first birth. You can do nothing to prepare for your second birth either. It’s all been done for you on the cross.
When you were growing up you thought nothing of going to your father and asking for things. He was daddy. He was your protection, your provision and your number one cheerleader. You knew that if you were ever really in trouble you could go to dad. You can do the same today.
It doesn’t matter what you have done or where you have been. It’s not important if you got into the mess you are in because of your own stupid choices or because of the evil and abuse of someone else. What matters is that the God of Heaven wants desperately to be your daddy. Your Heavenly Daddy wants to take you in his arms and love you and show you that everything…yes everything, will be okay because he is there.
I like what Max Lucado says in his book ‘The Great House of God’. “It would be enough if God just cleansed your name, but he does more. He gives you his name!”
PRAYER: Father God…Daddy. There are so many times I’ve tried to go my own way like some self-confident, rebellious and selfish two-year-old. So many times when I’ve chosen my way when I knew your way was best. Thank you for the forgiveness you have given me through Jesus Christ. Thank you that I’m not a guest in your house, I’m a child. I don’t visit you. I live with you. I pray that from this day forward I’ll live with the confidence of a child of a king because that is what I am! In Jesus name, Amen.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Psalm 23:5
Imagine for a moment that life is one large banquet and you are an honored guest. As you seat yourself with the others at the table you notice something rather odd. The placards at each setting have words on them. You naturally assume that the words are the names of the person seated there, but on closer inspection you realize that isn’t true at all.
The person across from you has a placard that reads ‘caught in adultery’. The person down the table from you three places has one that says ‘addicted to alcohol’. Another says ‘victim of financial ruin due to poor choices.’ And on the list goes. It suddenly dawns on you that you have no idea what your placard says. You read it. Your first impulse is to hide the words, but then the room is filled with a wonderful aroma.
You look for the source of this wonderful scent and your eyes are immediately drawn to a white robed figure making his way around the table. He stops at each place and anoints the person’s head with oil. Soothing, wonderful smelling oil that changes each person it touches. With each anointing the recipient’s face glows. Partially from the soothing effects of the oil. Partially from the joy that seems to flood that person’s soul.
Then you notice another oddity. As each person is anointed, the words on their placard mysteriously change. The descriptions of the person’s failings are replaced by a single word: GRACE!
In essence that is the word picture the Psalmist has for each of us. To be anointed with oil was a custom of honor and distinction in Bible times. Honored guests were anointed with oil and as a result the room was filled with a wonderful fragrance for all to enjoy, and the person anointed felt within himself the soothing, healing effects of the oil on his hot, dusty head and face.
Each of us comes to the ‘table’ of life with robes that are tarnished by the daily struggles we face. Before us is a placard with words that describe the struggles of our lives: worry, anger, disbelief, immorality, judgmental spirit, murder, abuse, gluttony…and more. Yet if you are a Christ-follower, those words are replaced when the master comes to anoint you with the oil of his forgiveness, his love and his mercy.
That’s grace. Grace is living with the anointing of Jesus in our lives. None of us deserves it. We don’t deserve to be in the same house as the banquet much less sitting at the table. Yet because of his sacrifice for us, we are treated as honored guests. Feel the soothing effect of the oil on your head and face as it removes the guilt of past mistakes. Smell the fragrance of forgiveness. Enjoy the euphoria of his grace as it permeates those darkest corners of your soul.
Not only does his anointing remove the stains of your past. His promises to you are so numerous that your cup will overflow with his blessings.
PRAYER: Dear Jesus. I’m reminded once more of the rich blessings I have because of you. I am so unworthy of your love. So undeserving of your forgiveness. I’ve failed you. I’ve hurt others. Worst of all, there are so many ways I’ve failed myself. Please forgive me for the times I’ve not listened to you. Anoint me with the oil of your grace so that I will be a pleasing aroma to you and those around me. In your name I pray, Amen.
The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. Isaiah 11:6
Have you ever wondered what heaven will be like? Ever thought about what we, as Christ-followers, will do for eternity? Eternity is a long time! Will we have jobs? Will we recognize our loved ones? Will we have any recollection of earthly events, or see earthly events from our vantage point?
Even though I don’t have answers to those questions there are some things we can be sure of. We can be sure we’ll see Jesus. I can’t wait for that. I figure I’ll sit at his feet for the first one or two million years and just worship him before I venture out to explore the place.
We can be pretty sure we’ll feel at home there. Jesus says he’ll have a place set up for us in his Father’s house. While I’m not entirely sure I know how that will work out, I think once we cross that line from today to eternity we’ll feel completely at home.
The Bible tells us there will be no death, no illness, no gender gap or generational gap. We’ll all live in complete and perfect harmony. Isaiah gives us the examples of mortal enemies like the lion and the lamb laying together in complete harmony.. The same with the leopard and the goat and the calf and the lion.
What will cause enemies to live together in peace? A little child. That little child is Jesus. He was there at creation when they were created. Paul tells us he is the glue that holds this entire universe together! Perfect peace has its origin and its power in the leading of the little child in the manger. The baby that grew to be king. King over death. King over sorrow and sadness. King over guilt and shame. King over my enemies.
We won’t likely see peace in our world for some time. Jesus says things will get much worse before they get better. Someday, though, if we hold Jesus as our Lord and Savior we’ll know what perfect peace is. Peace from finances. Peace from relational conflict and political upheaval. Peace from illness and worry. Peace from sin and guilt.
Until then, the sustainer and creator of peace lives within each of us. It’s unlikely that any of us will be able to exert enough change on planet earth to bring world-wide peace. But we can work towards peace in our own little corner of the world. Go ahead. Start a peace chain by praying for your enemies. Commit your worries and fears and feeling of inadequacy to the one who can bring peace in the midst of the storm. Someday we’ll live in a world of perfect peace, but until then do what you can to bring peace to your corner of the world.
PRAYER: Father God, I don’t know what it will be like to live in heaven with you for eternity. There are some days when I struggle so much here on earth that I long to ‘come home’ to you. Thank you for the peace that you promise me in eternity. Thank you that you can bring some of that peace to my world today. Empower me with your Spirit to sow thoughts of peace in my world where ever and however I can. In Jesus name, Amen.
Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and showers his righteousness on you. Hosea 10:12
The tiny seed is an amazing thing. When we plant our gardens we cultivate the soil and make it as easy as possible for the plant to grow. But in nature, that isn’t the case. A tiny seed floats to the ground. It falls into the smallest of crevices in the rock. Soon tiny fingers of roots emerge from the seed and take root in the rock.
Over the years, in all sorts of weather, the roots from that tiny seed continue to grow harder and stronger. The rock is no match for the tenacity of the roots. Soon, after years of struggle, a tree grows out of the sheer cliff. No cultivation. No special tools. Success comes from persistent pushing against seemingly impossible odds.
It happens over and over again in nature. Life springs from the most unlikely places all because of one small seed dropped in an unlikely spot. Sometimes the wind carries it to its resting place. Other times it hitches a ride with some unsuspecting carrier to a spot perhaps miles from its origin.
Each of us has an opportunity to be seed carriers along the path we call life. Sometimes we have opportunities to throw out those seeds intentionally. Other times our ‘seeds’ may be quite by accident.
A seed of encouragement scattered in someone’s life may result in hope. A seed of forgiveness fosters peace. A seed of appreciation brings the fruit of joy. A seed of understanding can make relief bloom. The seed of patience grows confidence.
What seeds can you spread today? Cultivation isn’t required, only willingness. Expertise isn’t needed only love, because passion beats technique every time. When Jesus was asked the most important commandment, he gave two and both were summed up in one word: love.
The seeds of love you spread will break the driest soil, the hardest rock, the soul that has all but given up on life. It may be something as simple as a smile or a ‘thank you’. It may be something as hard as saying ‘I’m sorry’ or ‘I forgive you.’ Perhaps it will be something as compassionate as, ‘I don’t agree with you, but I understand and accept you.’
Sow love today in the lives of those you come in contact with. Don’t worry about whether you thing the soil is ready. Ours is not to cause growth. Ours is to plant seeds. Seeds of love. Seeds of forgiveness. Seeds of grace. The seeds of Christ’s love that you sow today may take time to sprout, but nothing can stop them from growing.
PRAYER: Father God, I thank you for the love you continue to show me even when I’m hardened and rebellious. I pray that you would empower me to sow seeds of your love and forgiveness to everyone I come in contact with today. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 