Everyone is posting a little thing about Christmas and what it really means, so because it's ridiculously early in the morning and I can't sleep, I'll put in my two cents worth.
We serve a God who sent His son to live with us so that we ourselves might live. Not only did He send His son, though, but He did it with full knowledge that his son was going to have to endure every trial and temptation that we have to deal with, even death. He knew that His own people would reject His son, and He knew that the very people that were chosen to walk with His son would disown him in the end, as if they had never met him.
This is the God that we serve. He loves us all so much that He gave His only son. And not only did He give us His son, but He gives everlasting life to those who believe in His son. And He didn't come to condemn us either, but to save us. He came to save us from ourselves and each other. He came to rescue us from sin, and all that we have to do is call on the name of the Lord.
Remember this, this Christmas season. God loves YOU. He loves you so much that he was willing to die, even a death on the cross, so that we could walk with Him. Don't ever forget the love that was shown that day that Jesus came down to walk the earth. Praise God every day that He came to lead us. Praise the Lord.
I am presently watching the Chronicles of Narnia: the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Firstly, knowing the context of the film, when Aslan first comes into view, it is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. In the movie, Alsan just brought Edmond back into his grace and told his family that they were not to talk about his treachery again.
This single scene of the movie nearly brought me to tears. Images of my own sin against God and others flashed across my mind. I knew that there was no way that I should ever be allowed back into Gods grace. No matter what I do, every time I get the chance, I choose evil. Every time I try to live life on my own, I fall. No matter what I fill my life with, whether worship team or bible studies or anything else, I still choose my own selfish desires over the desire for God and his decrees.
BUT, and here's the catch, God has died for me. He went to the Witch and told her that she no longer has a claim in my life because I am His, and He paid the price for my transgressions. My God has given His life so that I can be with Him forever.
It doesn't end there, though. In the movie, Aslan instructs the Pevencies to never talk about the issue again, now that Edwin had truly repented and the sin had been dealt with. There is a faction in one of the churches that I go to (I go to two. One when I am at my parents house, the other when I am at university) that refuses to forgive another faction. I don't know the entire story behind the hate, but it exists, and it takes a toll on any relationship that tries to bridge the gap. I recently became a leader for one group (the youth group), and I have always been really good friends with the rest of the other group (a group of families). The conflict came into my view over 5 years ago, but I am guessing that it has been going on for much much longer.
It has gotten to the point where even the children are becoming poisoned by their parents thinking. The family faction has decided to discontinue support of the youth group while the present youth group leader is still in charge. The present youth leader has just reaffirmed her calling to be the leader of the youth group, and will probably be there for years to come.
In my view, there is no apparent end to this conflict, other than straight up forgiveness. God has clearly forgiven the youth leader (I'm assuming that the families have a legitimate reason to be upset in the first place), but the people haven't.
On another note, there is a man who really hurt me in the past (he was really just a boy at the time). He had mistreated a friend of mine in a way that I deemed unforgivable. He violated her trust, and in doing so, violated my trust and respect. When I had first heard of this, I was irate, but that didn't even come close to comparing to when the man came up to me to explain to me how he did nothing wrong. This was the closest I have ever come to intentionally harming another person. The only thing that kept me from punching him was that I was digging my hands into the chair that I was sitting on until they started hurting. I still, to this day, am unable to be in the same room as this man, and if he crosses my path, I immediately turn around and go the other way. This is the only way that I can prevent myself from attacking him.
Now to the point.
Every Sunday growing up, we prayed a simple prayer at church.
Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, the glory and the power for ever and ever, Amen.
In Matthews account, he follows up the prayer with the following statement.
"In prayer, there is a connection between what God does and what you do. You can't get forgiveness from God, for instance, without also forgiving others. If you refuse to do your part, you cut yourself off from God's part." (Mt. 6:14-15 The Message, emphasis mine)
What if God actually held true to this. What if he only forgives us like we forgive others. Here we dive into the realm of heresy. This is not something that you will hear taught in church. It is not a popular thought, but it comes straight from scripture. If you wont forgive, God wont forgive. And why should he? He already paid the price for our sins, but we refuse his gift every time we dive into our sins again.
An act of true repentance should require something on our part, not just going through the motions of confessing them to God (or a priest or friend). What if the cost of repentance was willingness to forgive?
Mighty Father, I pray that you would teach me to forgive. Teach me to forgive the man that violated my friends trust. Teach me to forgive the people who cause trouble in the church. Teach me to forgive like how you forgive. I pray that you would indeed forgive me as I forgive those who sin against me. LORD, forgive my sins. Forgive me for all of my stumbling. Forgive me for choosing evil instead of good. Forgive me for not loving your creation. Show me people that I have wronged so that I can seek their forgiveness, and reveal to me the people who I hold grudges against so that I can forgive them. Thank you, Jesus, for already paying the price for my sin. Help me to remember your grace every day. In Jesus' name, Amen.
