Romans 3:23-24
All of us have sinned and fallen
short of God’s glory. But God treats us much better than we deserve, and
because of Christ Jesus, he freely accepts us and sets us free from our
sins.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
I
promised the children a surprise after church if they would be really
good and eat a good lunch. And they all three did exactly that. So I
told them that we would go swimming at the community Aquatic Center. We
loaded our gear and headed for the pool. The children were very good
as we changed into our swimsuits. We had a wonderful swim for an
hour…every child was happy and well-behaved. They got out of the pool
afterward like little soldiers and politely took a seat as I dried them
and wrapped them in towels.
I had promised that when we got
back into the car, each child who had behaved nicely would get a
Lifesaver®. All three children were excited about this sweet treat.
And then “the wheels fell off the bus.” As we headed for the dressing
room to change into our clothes, Zola ran – all the way down the pool
deck to the dressing room door. Despite my calling to her to stop, she
continued. So I told her, “No Lifesaver®.” Of course, she cried…and
buried her little head in her hands. And the boys were quick to chime
in…”We still get Lifesavers®…right?” “If you are good,” I told them. “Oh, we’re going to be good!” they both promised. And they were…until we left the building.
Nathan
was our “line leader,” and I told him to stop at the yellow stripe at
the end of the sidewalk. He took off running and ran right into the
street. Thankfully, the parking lot was virtually empty and there were
no cars – and I knew this before we ever left the front door. Still, he
had disobeyed. I called to him to return and he continued running.
When he did turn around and come to me, I told him it was too late…no
Lifesaver® for him, either. I will tell you, it is terribly hard to
give one child candy and watch the other two cry…even when you know it
is for their own good. I told the children that “this hurts my heart.”
And it really did!
Timothy asked, “Are you mad at me?” I told him no…I was not mad at any of
them…but I was disappointed that two had chosen to misbehave after we
had experienced such a wonderful afternoon. I knew that all three
children were tired and ready for naps, but that was no excuse. Nathan
said through tears, “I want to go take a nap so I can mind better
tomorrow!” I almost melted…but he still didn’t get any candy.
Let
me make this perfectly clear…I am NOT God – nor do I dare to compare
myself to Him in any way. But I do love these children like they were
my own. And when they make a mistake and misbehave, it breaks my
heart. In any given hour, each one of the three of them can have a
misstep. None of them are perfect…and neither are you and I. We are
all capable of sin, because we are human. The only “person” to ever live
in the flesh who is perfect is Jesus Christ…and we simply cannot and
will not ever be Him.
But we can strive to be more like Jesus.
We can work hard to please God…to behave nicely so that we get the
“Lifesaver® blessings” and more that He so wants to give us each and
every day. We all fall short of God’s glory and expectations…but we
must keep on trying to “mind better tomorrow,” just like this sweet
little three-year-old.
I learn lessons from these children every
day. And this time, I am reminded that I serve a God of second, third,
fourth and even hundredth chances…and I am humbled. I fall short, just
as you do…but God is there to pick me up and restore me when I
acknowledge my faults and humbly strive to do better. Have you felt
God’s mercy and compassion over your own mistakes? Have you committed
to doing your best for Him in the future? Will this be the day that you
make that promise? Don’t you think it should be?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label genuine repentance for sins. Show all posts
Showing posts with label genuine repentance for sins. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for May 24, 2015
Psalm 34:18
The Lord is close to those whose hearts are breaking; he rescues those who are humbly sorry for their sins.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
According to information found at GoodReads.com* about Kathryn Stockett’s book, The Help…“Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken.” You may have read The Help and/or seen the subsequent movie version.
At one point in the story, Aibileen tells the child, named Mae Mobley…”You is kind. You is smart. You is important.” Little Mae Mobley is chubby, has a bald spot and her mother ignores her. Even Aibileen - who adores the little girl - admits that Mae Mobley is not the cutest child in the world! But she does all she can to encourage her…and to soothe her broken heart.
We all need a champion…someone who will lift us up and encourage us – even when we aren’t so cute. And as Christians who have been rescued, we need to “pay it forward” and encourage others who are struggling. We need to know that when we mess up – and we all will at some point – we can be forgiven…redeemed…and restored. This is what Jesus does for us – not because He has to, but because He wants to do so. He suffered, bled and died for our sins, and when we humbly ask Him to forgive us…He does so.
Here’s the thing…you cannot merely say, “I’m sorry” and expect forgiveness. You have to mean it. You cannot offer lip service… to others - and especially to Jesus…and go on your merry way. You would not want to hang out with people who treated you this way. Jesus did not die for us so that we could abuse His grace and mock His generosity! In His eyes, “we is kind…we is smart…we is important”…and so much more. And it’s time we acted like it!
Jesus’ loving, forgiving, all-redeeming arms are open to all who humbly seek them. Are you ready for a Champion’s welcome, forgiveness and encouragement? When a friend or neighbor humbly seeks your mercy, will you pay forward Jesus’ gift and offer this as His disciple? Will this be the day that Jesus heals your broken places and rescues you? Don’t you want it to be?
©2015 Debbie Robus
* http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4667024-the-help
The Lord is close to those whose hearts are breaking; he rescues those who are humbly sorry for their sins.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
According to information found at GoodReads.com* about Kathryn Stockett’s book, The Help…“Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken.” You may have read The Help and/or seen the subsequent movie version.
At one point in the story, Aibileen tells the child, named Mae Mobley…”You is kind. You is smart. You is important.” Little Mae Mobley is chubby, has a bald spot and her mother ignores her. Even Aibileen - who adores the little girl - admits that Mae Mobley is not the cutest child in the world! But she does all she can to encourage her…and to soothe her broken heart.
We all need a champion…someone who will lift us up and encourage us – even when we aren’t so cute. And as Christians who have been rescued, we need to “pay it forward” and encourage others who are struggling. We need to know that when we mess up – and we all will at some point – we can be forgiven…redeemed…and restored. This is what Jesus does for us – not because He has to, but because He wants to do so. He suffered, bled and died for our sins, and when we humbly ask Him to forgive us…He does so.
Here’s the thing…you cannot merely say, “I’m sorry” and expect forgiveness. You have to mean it. You cannot offer lip service… to others - and especially to Jesus…and go on your merry way. You would not want to hang out with people who treated you this way. Jesus did not die for us so that we could abuse His grace and mock His generosity! In His eyes, “we is kind…we is smart…we is important”…and so much more. And it’s time we acted like it!
Jesus’ loving, forgiving, all-redeeming arms are open to all who humbly seek them. Are you ready for a Champion’s welcome, forgiveness and encouragement? When a friend or neighbor humbly seeks your mercy, will you pay forward Jesus’ gift and offer this as His disciple? Will this be the day that Jesus heals your broken places and rescues you? Don’t you want it to be?
©2015 Debbie Robus
* http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4667024-the-help
Daily Devotional for February 11, 2015
Ecclesiastes 7:20
And there is not a single man in all the earth who is always good and never sins.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Recently, I was called for jury duty. I was not actually seated on the jury, but I did have to sit through a few hours of “interview” in which both the prosecuting and defense attorneys outlined the case and made determinations about the qualifications of prospective jurors. The defendant – a 34-year-old man – was charged with robbing a McDonald’s employee at gunpoint, then attacking two witnesses with a knife. I read news reports later that stated the man was convicted on all counts and sentenced to over 50 years in prison.
In the blink of an eye, this young man’s life changed forever. I have no idea what events led up to this situation. I did not hear the arguments and testimonies presented in court. Sitting with his attorneys in the courtroom, there was nothing extraordinary about this person's appearance…he did not have the “look” of a “criminal”. Yet a jury of his peers apparently deemed him to be one.
In the eyes of the LORD, you and I are not all that different from this young man. Okay…so we probably have not robbed someone at gunpoint…but we have sinned all the same. We have lied, gossiped, said and done hurtful things, shown disrespect, stolen, and otherwise dishonored our relationship with God – and others. In the blink of an eye, we have misspoken, stepped on someone’s toes, or done something we shouldn’t.
I have to wonder if the young man in the courtroom felt God’s presence, even as he was being sentenced to more than a half-century behind bars. Do we still feel God’s presence when WE sin? Because the truth of the matter is that God is still with us…still available…still ready to forgive and restore us. Jesus forgave a thief on the cross and welcomed him into Paradise. No one knows us better than God…no one more fully understands our sinful nature than He. That is why we read in Lamentations 3:22-23 that…“It is only the Lord’s mercies that have kept us from complete destruction. Great is his faithfulness; his loving-kindness begins afresh each day.”
Do not get confused…this is not a “free pass” to sin and then expect God to forgive you. But whether you are having a “good” day…or you have already slipped up more times than you can count…God wants to redeem and restore you. The key is to humble yourself before Him, admit your mistakes, and genuinely commit to doing better. Wherever you are today…whatever is happening…God is only a whisper away. Have you spoken with Him yet? Isn’t it time you did?
©2015 Debbie Robus
And there is not a single man in all the earth who is always good and never sins.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Recently, I was called for jury duty. I was not actually seated on the jury, but I did have to sit through a few hours of “interview” in which both the prosecuting and defense attorneys outlined the case and made determinations about the qualifications of prospective jurors. The defendant – a 34-year-old man – was charged with robbing a McDonald’s employee at gunpoint, then attacking two witnesses with a knife. I read news reports later that stated the man was convicted on all counts and sentenced to over 50 years in prison.
In the blink of an eye, this young man’s life changed forever. I have no idea what events led up to this situation. I did not hear the arguments and testimonies presented in court. Sitting with his attorneys in the courtroom, there was nothing extraordinary about this person's appearance…he did not have the “look” of a “criminal”. Yet a jury of his peers apparently deemed him to be one.
In the eyes of the LORD, you and I are not all that different from this young man. Okay…so we probably have not robbed someone at gunpoint…but we have sinned all the same. We have lied, gossiped, said and done hurtful things, shown disrespect, stolen, and otherwise dishonored our relationship with God – and others. In the blink of an eye, we have misspoken, stepped on someone’s toes, or done something we shouldn’t.
I have to wonder if the young man in the courtroom felt God’s presence, even as he was being sentenced to more than a half-century behind bars. Do we still feel God’s presence when WE sin? Because the truth of the matter is that God is still with us…still available…still ready to forgive and restore us. Jesus forgave a thief on the cross and welcomed him into Paradise. No one knows us better than God…no one more fully understands our sinful nature than He. That is why we read in Lamentations 3:22-23 that…“It is only the Lord’s mercies that have kept us from complete destruction. Great is his faithfulness; his loving-kindness begins afresh each day.”
Do not get confused…this is not a “free pass” to sin and then expect God to forgive you. But whether you are having a “good” day…or you have already slipped up more times than you can count…God wants to redeem and restore you. The key is to humble yourself before Him, admit your mistakes, and genuinely commit to doing better. Wherever you are today…whatever is happening…God is only a whisper away. Have you spoken with Him yet? Isn’t it time you did?
©2015 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for September 27, 2014
Hosea 14:1-4
Israel, return! Come back
to the Lord, your God.
Sin has made you fall.
Return to the Lord and say,
“Please forgive our sins.
Accept our good sacrifices
of praise instead of bulls.
Assyria can’t save us,
and chariots can’t help.
So we will no longer worship
the idols we have made.
Our Lord, you show mercy
to orphans.”
Israel, you have rejected me,
but my anger is gone;
I will heal you and love you
without limit.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Albert Einstein is credited with saying that “the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results!” By this “definition,” we are all more than a little insane. We know that eating too much and sitting on our duffs will likely keep us from being fit and healthy...yet we continue to stuff our faces with all the wrong things and slack on the exercise regimens. We know that other habits will produce unhealthy results, also...yet we can’t seem to kick them, either!
We understand that a negative attitude breeds negativity in those around us...yet we continue to gossip, backbite, speak and think cynically, and treat others unkindly. We even say we understand that we need to study God’s word, communicate with Him continually in prayer and meditation (listening), and fellowship with other believers who can encourage us in order to be healthy spiritually. But many of us spend more time watching TV and surfing the Internet than we would ever hope to spend strengthening our relationship with God...and then we wonder why our lives seem to be coming apart at the seams – or are far less satisfying and “successful” than we would hope in so many areas.
Quite honestly, we are the modern-day “children of Israel”. God has given us every chance in the book to make changes and do better...and we continue to falter and/or fail. But here’s the Good News. God will not give up on us! He offers us a chance to make things right. If we are truly repentant, He will heal us and love us like we never imagined possible.
We really can break the cycle...we most certainly can do better and “get healthy” – not just spiritually, but in other ways, as well. And it begins with our admission that we have failed to be obedient...that we have worshipped “idols” rather than God – money, fame or “success”, possessions, friends, other people and relationship, and more...that we have not listened to God and sought a deep and abiding relationship and continual dialogue with Him. God will honor true repentance. He knows when we are genuine and sincere...and when we aren’t. IF we come to him with an apologetic heart...and an authentic desire to change, He will heal us and forgive us - and set us upright.
God is willing to forgive and restore us. It may seem like insanity to think that He would do this over and over again, but the only “insane” thing about it is how madly in love God is with each of us! He is willing to do whatever it takes to maintain a relationship with us...but we have to be willing to give Him our heart and soul – quite literally.
We have to be ready to truly lay down our “idols” and do whatever God asks of us...whenever and wherever we are needed. In return, He will say, “My anger is gone, and I am ready to heal you and love you without limit.” Are you ready to accept His gifts and be healed?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Israel, return! Come back
to the Lord, your God.
Sin has made you fall.
Return to the Lord and say,
“Please forgive our sins.
Accept our good sacrifices
of praise instead of bulls.
Assyria can’t save us,
and chariots can’t help.
So we will no longer worship
the idols we have made.
Our Lord, you show mercy
to orphans.”
Israel, you have rejected me,
but my anger is gone;
I will heal you and love you
without limit.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Albert Einstein is credited with saying that “the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results!” By this “definition,” we are all more than a little insane. We know that eating too much and sitting on our duffs will likely keep us from being fit and healthy...yet we continue to stuff our faces with all the wrong things and slack on the exercise regimens. We know that other habits will produce unhealthy results, also...yet we can’t seem to kick them, either!
We understand that a negative attitude breeds negativity in those around us...yet we continue to gossip, backbite, speak and think cynically, and treat others unkindly. We even say we understand that we need to study God’s word, communicate with Him continually in prayer and meditation (listening), and fellowship with other believers who can encourage us in order to be healthy spiritually. But many of us spend more time watching TV and surfing the Internet than we would ever hope to spend strengthening our relationship with God...and then we wonder why our lives seem to be coming apart at the seams – or are far less satisfying and “successful” than we would hope in so many areas.
Quite honestly, we are the modern-day “children of Israel”. God has given us every chance in the book to make changes and do better...and we continue to falter and/or fail. But here’s the Good News. God will not give up on us! He offers us a chance to make things right. If we are truly repentant, He will heal us and love us like we never imagined possible.
We really can break the cycle...we most certainly can do better and “get healthy” – not just spiritually, but in other ways, as well. And it begins with our admission that we have failed to be obedient...that we have worshipped “idols” rather than God – money, fame or “success”, possessions, friends, other people and relationship, and more...that we have not listened to God and sought a deep and abiding relationship and continual dialogue with Him. God will honor true repentance. He knows when we are genuine and sincere...and when we aren’t. IF we come to him with an apologetic heart...and an authentic desire to change, He will heal us and forgive us - and set us upright.
God is willing to forgive and restore us. It may seem like insanity to think that He would do this over and over again, but the only “insane” thing about it is how madly in love God is with each of us! He is willing to do whatever it takes to maintain a relationship with us...but we have to be willing to give Him our heart and soul – quite literally.
We have to be ready to truly lay down our “idols” and do whatever God asks of us...whenever and wherever we are needed. In return, He will say, “My anger is gone, and I am ready to heal you and love you without limit.” Are you ready to accept His gifts and be healed?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for August 18, 2014
Luke 7:44-48
He turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Have you noticed this woman? When I came into your home, you didn’t give me any water so I could wash my feet. But she has washed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. You didn’t greet me with a kiss, but from the time I came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. You didn’t even pour olive oil on my head, but she has poured expensive perfume on my feet. So I tell you that all her sins are forgiven, and that is why she has shown great love. But anyone who has been forgiven for only a little will show only a little love.”
Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.”
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
This morning, the mail lady honked her horn...our signal that she has a package for us. We are blessed to have a mail carrier who will actually come to our doorstep with packages, rather than leave a notice for us to drive to the post office and retrieve them. So I opened the door and watched her pull pretty large box from the back seat of her vehicle. “I didn’t order anything,” I mused. Then I recognized the handwriting on the mailing label. This package was from Leslie...the wife of our nephew, John. It was clothes that our great-niece Kelsey has outgrown, and Leslie wanted to share them with our little niece, Zola.
I opened the box of “goodies”...and it was like Christmas in August! Now here’s the thing...I make most of Zola’s clothes, but occasionally, I purchase “clearance” items in stores and online. It’s always fun when the package arrives in the mail and you take out all of the cute clothes and shoes for the kids. But I have to tell you, that paled in comparison to a box like this. Why? The clothes are not brand-new. Some of the colors are not quite as bright as they were when purchased in the store.
The difference is the love and thought with which these clothes were shared. These items still have a lot of “life” in them...and some indeed look almost brand-spanking new. Zola will be adorable in them...she will love the glittery red “Mary Jane” shoes...the fleecy flannel pajamas will keep her snug and warm this winter. And there are even some “Hello Kitty®” items...which are always a hit! What makes these clothes special is the attitude they represent...someone saying, “Hey, I have extra and would like to share. I’m blessed – let me bless you, too!”
This is the difference in our spiritual lives, as well. We often have the wrong set of priorities and perspectives. If we view our sins as inconsequential or “small” in comparison to those of others, we may not be as grateful. We don’t fully understand a) just how much our sins cost Jesus; and b) the significance of our outward demonstrations of gratitude to Jesus – by how we “pay it forward” with acts of mercy and kindness toward others. When we are truly grateful for Jesus’ redemptive power in our lives, we “wash His feet” and “anoint them with oil” by demonstrating love, grace, mercy, forgiveness, and compassion toward others. Even the simplest of acts...smiling at a disheveled, dirty person on the street, dropping a note of kindness or concern to someone who is “going through something”, or sharing a box of hand-me-down clothing becomes a way to say, “Thank You, Jesus,” for the blessings you have bestowed upon MY life.
I don’t think we truly understand just how costly our sins were/are. We want to think that we’re not as bad as “the other guy”...that his/her sins are so much worse; therefore, he/she “owes” Jesus a bigger debt of gratitude. That is simply not the case. In Jesus’ eyes, we are all equal...He paid a tremendous price for ALL of our sins. And in that regard, we should all be on our knees, washing His feet with our tears and drying them with our hair.
We can’t physically do this...but symbolically we can show our gratitude by sharing His love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness with others. We will each have countless opportunities to do this – even today. You may not have a box full of children’s clothes to share with another lucky little girl...but I bet you have SOMETHING you can give away – even if it is a smile, hug, or a kind word. Just as there are no small sins...there are no small acts of thankfulness. Are you paying attention and looking for ways to show your love and appreciation to Jesus? How will you demonstrate your gratitude this day?
©2014 Debbie Robus
He turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Have you noticed this woman? When I came into your home, you didn’t give me any water so I could wash my feet. But she has washed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. You didn’t greet me with a kiss, but from the time I came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. You didn’t even pour olive oil on my head, but she has poured expensive perfume on my feet. So I tell you that all her sins are forgiven, and that is why she has shown great love. But anyone who has been forgiven for only a little will show only a little love.”
Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.”
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
This morning, the mail lady honked her horn...our signal that she has a package for us. We are blessed to have a mail carrier who will actually come to our doorstep with packages, rather than leave a notice for us to drive to the post office and retrieve them. So I opened the door and watched her pull pretty large box from the back seat of her vehicle. “I didn’t order anything,” I mused. Then I recognized the handwriting on the mailing label. This package was from Leslie...the wife of our nephew, John. It was clothes that our great-niece Kelsey has outgrown, and Leslie wanted to share them with our little niece, Zola.
I opened the box of “goodies”...and it was like Christmas in August! Now here’s the thing...I make most of Zola’s clothes, but occasionally, I purchase “clearance” items in stores and online. It’s always fun when the package arrives in the mail and you take out all of the cute clothes and shoes for the kids. But I have to tell you, that paled in comparison to a box like this. Why? The clothes are not brand-new. Some of the colors are not quite as bright as they were when purchased in the store.
The difference is the love and thought with which these clothes were shared. These items still have a lot of “life” in them...and some indeed look almost brand-spanking new. Zola will be adorable in them...she will love the glittery red “Mary Jane” shoes...the fleecy flannel pajamas will keep her snug and warm this winter. And there are even some “Hello Kitty®” items...which are always a hit! What makes these clothes special is the attitude they represent...someone saying, “Hey, I have extra and would like to share. I’m blessed – let me bless you, too!”
This is the difference in our spiritual lives, as well. We often have the wrong set of priorities and perspectives. If we view our sins as inconsequential or “small” in comparison to those of others, we may not be as grateful. We don’t fully understand a) just how much our sins cost Jesus; and b) the significance of our outward demonstrations of gratitude to Jesus – by how we “pay it forward” with acts of mercy and kindness toward others. When we are truly grateful for Jesus’ redemptive power in our lives, we “wash His feet” and “anoint them with oil” by demonstrating love, grace, mercy, forgiveness, and compassion toward others. Even the simplest of acts...smiling at a disheveled, dirty person on the street, dropping a note of kindness or concern to someone who is “going through something”, or sharing a box of hand-me-down clothing becomes a way to say, “Thank You, Jesus,” for the blessings you have bestowed upon MY life.
I don’t think we truly understand just how costly our sins were/are. We want to think that we’re not as bad as “the other guy”...that his/her sins are so much worse; therefore, he/she “owes” Jesus a bigger debt of gratitude. That is simply not the case. In Jesus’ eyes, we are all equal...He paid a tremendous price for ALL of our sins. And in that regard, we should all be on our knees, washing His feet with our tears and drying them with our hair.
We can’t physically do this...but symbolically we can show our gratitude by sharing His love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness with others. We will each have countless opportunities to do this – even today. You may not have a box full of children’s clothes to share with another lucky little girl...but I bet you have SOMETHING you can give away – even if it is a smile, hug, or a kind word. Just as there are no small sins...there are no small acts of thankfulness. Are you paying attention and looking for ways to show your love and appreciation to Jesus? How will you demonstrate your gratitude this day?
©2014 Debbie Robus
Daily Devotional for July 18, 2014
Acts 3:17-20
“Dear brothers, I realize that what you did to Jesus was done in ignorance; and the same can be said of your leaders. But God was fulfilling the prophecies that the Messiah must suffer all these things. Now change your mind and attitude to God and turn to him so he can cleanse away your sins and send you wonderful times of refreshment from the presence of the Lord and send Jesus your Messiah back to you again.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
It happens every day...all over the world...in workplaces, among family members and friends, on social media, and yes – in even in our churches. People make snap judgments, say and do hurtful things, and mistreat others out of their own ignorance – or at best, a failure to collect all of the facts beforehand.
Here’s the thing...we would all do well to stop “shooting from the hip” so often. We would be better served to pause, look, listen...and PRAY before we pass judgment, open our mouths, or jump into action. We need to start at the top...and treat our relationship with Jesus more tenderly, reverently and respectfully...then ask Him to help us expand these mercies outwardly in our interactions and associations with others. We should remember that we are representatives of Jesus to the world at large...and when we fail to operate in grace and mercy, we project a false depiction of the love of Christ and the refreshing renewal that He offers to each of us through His blood on the Cross.
We have been given such an incredible gift in the form of salvation through Jesus. His mercies toward us are poured out new every single day – often many times! Now it is our time to share these mercies with others...to turn around and face His cleansing refreshment, receive His restoring love and care – and share it with the world.
Which direction are you facing today?
©2014 Debbie Robus
“Dear brothers, I realize that what you did to Jesus was done in ignorance; and the same can be said of your leaders. But God was fulfilling the prophecies that the Messiah must suffer all these things. Now change your mind and attitude to God and turn to him so he can cleanse away your sins and send you wonderful times of refreshment from the presence of the Lord and send Jesus your Messiah back to you again.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
It happens every day...all over the world...in workplaces, among family members and friends, on social media, and yes – in even in our churches. People make snap judgments, say and do hurtful things, and mistreat others out of their own ignorance – or at best, a failure to collect all of the facts beforehand.
- “We wouldn’t need Food Stamps and other forms of public assistance if people would quit being so lazy and get a job.” There is no effort to understand how difficult some families and individuals find it to stretch a dollar while working at a minimum wage job.
- “He has such musical talent...if he really loved the LORD, he’d sing in the choir.” Perhaps this person has a “plate” already so full - and burdens so big - that there simply is not a spare minute to devote to such an activity, even if he wanted to do so!
- “She must not care about her aging mother...I never see her visit, and I’ve noticed that other people are always doing things for this dear woman that her daughter should be doing.” Maybe this person’s needs exceed what the daughter is medically qualified to handle...or maybe she visits at odd hours. Perhaps she has a spouse who is ill...or small children - and a job...and others have offered to step in and help her with these duties. Or perhaps her mother has told her that she does not want her care and “interference”.
- “I don’t understand why that child’s parents allow him/her to look/behave that way...they should try harder.” Perhaps this child has special needs that offer a challenge to everyone concerned with his/her care. Maybe the parents ARE trying...or maybe they need a loving, caring person to offer them gentle, concrete assistance and guidance.
- “Tell your mom that you all need to get to church on time...your family is always late!” Is this really the child’s fault? Does this help get the family to church sooner, or will it make the children feel badly – and irritate the parents that someone nagged them? Shouldn’t this person be glad the children actually came to church, rather than berate them for their tardiness?
- “That kid is just weird. He never does anything with other students. He isn’t all that friendly, and all he does is read or stare into space.” This kid lives with a single mom who has a drug addiction and an eating disorder. He never knows if she will be alive when he returns home. Or perhaps there is abuse and neglect in his home. His heart is heavy...and his mind is full. It’s all he can do to get back and forth to school each day.
Here’s the thing...we would all do well to stop “shooting from the hip” so often. We would be better served to pause, look, listen...and PRAY before we pass judgment, open our mouths, or jump into action. We need to start at the top...and treat our relationship with Jesus more tenderly, reverently and respectfully...then ask Him to help us expand these mercies outwardly in our interactions and associations with others. We should remember that we are representatives of Jesus to the world at large...and when we fail to operate in grace and mercy, we project a false depiction of the love of Christ and the refreshing renewal that He offers to each of us through His blood on the Cross.
We have been given such an incredible gift in the form of salvation through Jesus. His mercies toward us are poured out new every single day – often many times! Now it is our time to share these mercies with others...to turn around and face His cleansing refreshment, receive His restoring love and care – and share it with the world.
Which direction are you facing today?
©2014 Debbie Robus
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