05/24/2023
God is indescribably great and we are so utterly lost without His love and grace. We realize our faults and shortcomings, but are we bold enough to compare ourselves with the magnificence of His glory, or the perfection of Jesus? Would we faint at the very sight of them?
“When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, "Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.”
Revelation 1:17-18 ESV
I don't like to compare myself to the perfection that is Jesus nor the absolute and awesome presence of God the Father. John fell to the ground as if dead at just the sight of the transfigured Christ, and it was only by the hand of Jesus that he was awakened. Are we really ready to meet Jesus; or to stand before God?
In life, Jesus loved John, and John also loved Him. This is the man to whom Jesus, hanging on the cross, entrusted the care of His mother. Of all people, John should have been able to gaze upon Jesus without being overcome and fainting straight way. Yet, here he is, lying on the floor of heaven as if dead.
“When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son!" Then he said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!" And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.”
John 19:26-27 ESV
Are we ready to meet Jesus face to face? Are we ready for Him to open the book of life and recount ours? Were the last words we spoke on earth words of contrition, and praise, or some trivial worldly nonsense? Are there those that we have not forgiven?
“For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
Matthew 6:14-15 ESV
We all need to search our lives and forgive. The power of this one act is immense and can dictate how God will see us on that final day of judgement. It is one thing to say "I forgive them" but quite another to actually do so in our hearts.
There is a man who mistreated and wronged me. I prayed for Him every day, but even as the words were leaving my mouth I could feel the animosity and dislike within me. Finally, I begged the Father "Lord help me to forgive Him" because I knew I still harbored ill will towards him. Forgiveness is not an easy thing to accomplish when we have been wounded deeply, but until I forgave, I knew there would be no forgiveness for me... I could never face God and be assured that He would forgive me... even in His magnificence and grace, I would fall short.
So there will come a day, and on that day we will stand in the presence of He whose very sight will slay us as if dead, and He will search our lives and judge us. His hand will awaken us to hear His verdict. Will we rejoice at hearing our names read from the lamb's book of life, or will we quake and be cast down?
Now is the time to compare ourselves to the perfection of Jesus; now is the time to realize the grandeur of God and know how He views us... not in these final moments when our earthly lives are cast and the judgement is upon us. Let’s take time today to search out our lives and compare them to the life of Jesus and the commandments of God. Then let’s pray and do something about our shortcomings... forgive those we need to forgive... not just with empty words, but in the depths of our hearts. Then let’s ask the Lord to forgive us. And He will forgive...
“as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.”
Psalms 103:12-13 ESV
Sometimes our forgiveness is for a person, and at other times it is the forgiveness of a thing or entity. Have you been hurt by a school, a government, a church? Are you carrying around a resentment that eats at you and takes away the peace that God has for you? Forgive! Forgive! Forgive! Whatever festers and eats away at you... forgive it. The Roman government oppressed Israel and yet Jesus said "give unto Caesar what is Caesar's." Forgive.
Today let’s compare our lives with the amazing and overpowering presence of God and Jesus Christ... let's ask ourselves if we have fallen short in following God's Word and the teachings of Jesus. Let's ask ourselves who, or what, we need to forgive and make that forgiveness our foremost quest, an act upon which our very salvation rests. From this moment forth let's resolve ourselves to the fact that we must set our minds on the spiritual nature of living, and begin our journey into this realm with a mighty first step by forgiving.
“For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.”
Romans 8:6 ESV
Prayer:
Father, thank you for being the gloriously Holy center of my life. Father I thank you for the overwhelming awe of your presence. I thank you for your Son Jesus who’s power and grandeur causes men to faint in His presence, and whose gentle hand lifts them up again. Your aura is mighty, yet unbound love flows from you. Holy Father I pray that in my moment of judgement you will forgive me... even as I have forgiven those who have done me harm. Help me Merciful Father to forgive as I should, and reveal to me all those I have withheld my forgiveness from. Give me the love and empathy it takes to forgive perfectly, and teach me where I am lacking. Gracious Lord I thank you again for your Son Jesus Christ and beseech you that in my shortcomings you will instruct me and lead me towards becoming perfect, even as He is perfect, and in this way that you will allow me to obtain those things that He teaches which will enable me to receive the gift of eternity in your presence. When I soar, never let it be too high, when I fall, never let it be out of your reach, and when I forgive, make it to the depths of my heart and soul. Great are you Father, and greatly to be praised… forgive me my sins I pray.
Rich Forbes