The past 24 hours have been without a doubt in my mind probably the biggest wakeup call of my life. I am really starting to grasp the statement that Christ made in the Lord’s Prayer when he said, “forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” Actually there is a lot of the Sermon on the Mount that is suddenly starting to click… Matthew 5:44,46-47, (But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?) it just seems so clear now.
What does loving your enemies really look like? I know that love is patient and love is kind and all that jazz, but when the time comes that we are faced with, in some cases, our deepest fear—how are we supposed to love it?
Today during communion at church, a time when I am called to reflect on the blood that Christ shed for me and the brutality that he put his body thru to forgive me, it finally dawned on me. Christ died to save not just me from my sins but everyone from their sins. See the thing is that inevitably if we are serious with ourselves there are probably some things that we think that we have done that are too big for even God to erase, but in all reality he can take care of us no matter how measurable the feat. The thing that I have always failed to really realize, to truly grasp and wrap my mind and my heart around is the fact that no matter how bad the sin is that has been committed against me, Jesus still died for that too. If someone was to murder my mother in cold blood in front of my eyes the same grace would be extended towards that as if I was to have skipped class earlier in the day… So the realization that I have had today is that in all honesty no matter how devastating the transgression how unreal the event Christ loves that man just as much as me and is waiting patiently to free him of his burdens to wipe their sins clean.
In turn if I do not love this man with everything that I have inside of me I am actually acting in a direct dismay of my God and am in no way trusting the kingdom. Part of my faith is not just believing that the good things that feel warm and fuzzy inside are purposely placed in my life but that even the moments that make no sense, that drive me to the brink of depression, that give no reasonable understanding as to why they should happen to a person are actually placed in my life for a reason also… and I must trust that even though I don’t understand, those moments are also for my good. Casting Crowns have recently written a song titled “Praise you in the Storm” and that is a perfect statement. What is the point in having faith, in anything much less our King, if we are only fair weather fans? What good is a trust that turns on and off as easily as a light bulb. If I am committed to my Lord then I must love all of his children, all the time, as if they were my own, no matter what, no matter when, no questions asked.
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