Today I had a car full - taking and dropping kids off. One of my best friends crawled in the back of my Yukon and immediately pipes up, "Uh.....T, do you know that there is writing back here on your seat? lt looks like someone took a marker to your seat."
No actually, I did NOT know that one of my kids took a sharpie to my leather seat. This is where the Lord's gift of deep breaths comes in REAL handy.
Shortly after, they got out of my car and headed to sports camp at Biggers. My words were few. They got "the eye" from me - and that was enough for them to know that I wasn't happy - and we would have "the talk" later.Later today I headed to Biggers to get a workout in before I had to pick them up. From the 3rd floor of the building I could look over the gym where the 3 of them were enjoying sports camp. They caught my eye - and immediately were working diligently to make "everything okay" - blowing kisses, hugs, waving incessantly. I thought to myself - Oh man they are WORKING ME! Trying so hard to make up for the damage done - wanting to be forgiven - back in good graces......for everything to be "okay".
Gosh - in that moment I so sympathized with them. I remember being a little kid and doing something super stupid - getting in to trouble and just desperately wanting for my parents to stop being mad at me. To please just forgive me and move past that yucky feeling of being "in trouble".
Sometimes I don't know whether that feeling is a curse or a blessing. And honestly, I'd love to tell you that one day you'll never have to worry about that feeling again - that you'll stop doing stupid stuff- making bad choices.....live without any regrets.....but here's the hard truth -You're entire life you will need forgiveness. You're whole life you will need the grace that Jesus taught us to give.
And receive.I saw something in my children today that is all too familiar in myself. I totally mess up and can't help but wonder-
Am I worth being forgiven?
Will they still love me?Of course I am. Of course my children are. And of course you are.
But why is that so incredibly difficult to believe?
I think that Jesus' grace is one of the most beautiful things about him. One of those rare qualities that leaves us scratching our heads and saying things like "Really? Are you SURE you still love me? Are you positive I still have value? Even after I did THAT?"
YES. You do.
Jesus himself in Matthew 26 said, "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins."Jesus did what He did so we could walk with our back straight and our head high. So we could KNOW that yes, we do make mistakes - we write on our mom's Yukon leather seats with Sharpies - and are STILL worthy of His love. STILL worth forgiving. STILL have value.
I think sometimes in life it's a whole lot easier to look at our past, our mistakes - as some sort excuse for why we aren't living. Why we can't change. That somehow we are destined for this life of "failure" and sin because well, it's what we've always done. We don't believe we are worth more than our sin.You wanna know something........that's just a sad lie. Because God didn't send His son to die on a cross for you to resign. Give up.
Jesus came to give each one of us hope. Forgiveness. Redemption. And not just once -but again and again and again. I don't know what you are hanging on to. What sin keeps you from fully living. What failure has lied to you....
Here's what I know. Christ came. He lived a perfect life. He showed us how to live and to love. And then died for our sins. Three days later He rose from the dead - ascended in to heaven - and dwells with our eternal God where WE -ME AND YOU - can and will return one day.YOU are worthy of that gift. YOU were worth dying for. YOU are worth forgiving. and YOU are worth loving.
PERIOD.
Now........go live that life!! Stop making excuses and live - KNOWING that you are of worth, value, love, forgiveness.I love you. Always will.
T
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