Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you — unless, of course, you fail the test? 2 Corinthians 13:5
Sometimes it takes a song, a poem, a letter, or a video to reach the coldest of the cold. Sometimes a song can touch that part of a person's heart where mere words fall deaf. If you struggle with forgiveness it helps to remind ourselves that which was done for us. He does not think it too great a price to pay, He does not think it is to late for love to win.
"Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins."
Forgiveness is not something you choose to do because of who someone is, or because they have earned it; rather it is what you choose to do in spite of who they are. Because they can never earn it; and neither can you.
"Forgiveness is the remission of sins. For it is by this that what has been lost, and was found, is saved from being lost again"1"Forgiveness is the answer to the child's dream of a miracle by which what is broken is made whole again, what is soiled is made clean again"2
Okay it is time to put aside all of the other issues, all of the other ideas, thoughts and concerns and address the single most important event in the history of mankind. This begins the first of a five part series on “Easter the Truth”. each will have a short video to help reach your soul. The truth of Easter is a story of hope, the promise that people had waited thousands of years for the fulfillment of, and that we today shake our heads in wonder at the terrible, beautiful truth of what God did just so that we might have the choice to be reconciled with Him. It is a story that God wrote into the heavens at the beginning of time, (and we will look at that in this small series) Odds are that if you are reading this you are not a CEO Christian (Christmas -Easter Only) but if by chance you are, or if you know someone who is, this is the time to stop and take stock of how you are living your life and evaluate it against this one all important fact.
In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him.John 1:1-11
Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” Luke 23:34
“Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’ Luke 24:5-7
Really think about the above verses, let it sink into you; let them pull at your heart and your soul. If you choose not to internalize them, to live your life in gratitude of them, then in your heart and life, Easter is just a day that children believe a rabbit bounces all over the world hiding hard-boiled chicken eggs (really??), and you celebrate it by going out and gorging yourself on more food then most people in the world eat in two weeks time. If however you believe the truth, but are choosing your way, and not following and doing as He instructed, then the question must be asked “How can you continue in your sins and trespasses (they are not the same, there is a significant difference between them and we will look at the difference another day)? Is the life you are choosing to live worth the price that Jesus paid for it?
Go back and read those verses again and again… This Easter are you going to celebrate and worship our Lord (A job description not a name) and Savior for the amazing grace and love that he pours out into the world,
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”John 3:16
Or are you going to go hunting for chicken eggs, left by a rabbit?
A friend of mine tonight mentioned in passing tonight that I am the type of person that will answer your question truthfully regardless of what answer the person asking the question is looking for. Which as the night progressed made me reflect on another friend of mine who is currently entering a difficult chapter of her life. A storm has blow into her life, not one of her own making, but rather one that is the direct result of another un-leasing sin and its terrible consequences into her family.
These sins and those who choose them are frequently the topic of my posts, these sins are those that our society has elected to turn a blind eye to, to tolerate; these sins unleash untold destruction, pain, suffering, and evil to those whom God calls His own. Frequently these sins are committed by those who profess that Jesus is Lord (forgetting that ‘Lord’ is not a name, but rather a job description), but almost as often by those who deny any relationship to Jesus. In both situations, God has made it perfectly clear that He will deal with those who injure those who have placed their faith in God and God alone.
Today however I am addressing those who are the recipient, those who are simply collateral damage of another’s sin; those who are suddenly thrust into the darkest night, when dreams, goals, family and life itself is being battered by wave after terrible wave. Each of us at one time or another will enter into one of these storms of unimaginable proportions, in the mist of it you will be presented with one question, the defining moment of your life. That one answer will shape your life; if you are playing attention you will realize the moment as such, because there will not be multiple options to choose from, there will be either A or B, yes or no, right or wrong.
To my friend, it appears that God is stripping everything from her, that like Abraham and Job, God has singled her out to test her faith. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is her moment of truth, God is reaching out to her, and telling her, “Don’t be afraid, take courage. I am here”
Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!”
But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!” Matthew 14:23-27
The truthful answer to the question, is that you are either going through a storm now, or are headed into the eye of a hurricane that you can not see; in either situation when the storm has come, remember Jesus’ reassuring words, “Don’t be afraid, take courage. I am here.”
