05/24/2025
God is indescribably great, and we are so utterly lost without His love and grace, but Jesus has an overpowering presence as well, and although we describe Him as humble, and meek, He is also glorious. We realize our faults and shortcomings, and rarely do we compare ourselves with the magnificence of God's glory, or the perfection of Jesus. We don't like to compare ourselves to the perfection that is Jesus nor to the absolute and awesome presence and power of God the Father because that would be presumptuous of us and so farfetched; some would consider it heretical. 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. When we meet Jesus and stand before God will we be overcome by the mere sight of Him?
“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
In life, Jesus loved John, and John also loved Him. This is the man to whom Jesus, while dying on the cross, entrusted the future care of His mother. Of all people, we would think that John should have been able to gaze upon Jesus without being overcome and fainting straight way. Yet, here we read of him 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
How about us? Are we ready to meet Jesus face to face at the moment of His coming? Are we ready for Him to open the book of life and recount our lives before God? Will the last words we will have spoken on earth have been words of contrition, praise, and pleas for forgiveness, or some trivial worldly nonsense? Sadly, scripture tells us that there will be some of us who will stand before God without having asked for forgiveness or not having forgiven others. At that moment of our judgement will we faint under the terrible load of our sins, or will we, now forgiven, fall to the ground as John did and be raised up again by Jesus Himself?
“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 those who have trespassed against us. 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 simply say "I forgive them" but quite another to actually do so sincerely in our hearts.
I recall 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 rushing back in like a tide. Finally, I begged the Father "Lord help me to forgive Him" because I knew I still harbored ill will towards him and I was not able to forgive Him without divine help. Forgiveness is not an easy thing to accomplish when we have been wounded deeply, but until we forgive there will be no forgiveness for us... Before the Lord helped me to forgive I could never have face Him and been assured that He would have forgiven me... even in His magnificence and grace, I would have fallen short.
So, there will certainly come a day. and on that day, we will stand in the presence of He whose very sight will be enough to slay us as if dead, and He will search our lives and judge us. His hand will awaken us to hear His verdict, but will we rejoice at hearing our name read from the lamb's book of life, or will we quake, be convicted by our own lack of contrition or forgiveness, and be cast down?
Now, while we have the chance, 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... now,,, not in those final moments when the story of our earthly lives have been written and the judgement is upon us. We must take time today to search out our lives and compare them to the life of Jesus and the commandments of God. Then it is up to us to pray and do something about your shortcomings... to ask for forgiveness, and to forgive those we need to forgive... not just in empty words, but from the depths of our hearts. So, let’s ask the Lord to forgive us right now and forgive all those who have done us wrong. If we do this then He most certainly forgive us...
“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 a 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." He had forgiven.
Today let us compare our lives with the amazing and overpowering presence of God and Jesus Christ... let's ask ourselves if we are falling 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 the quest upon which our very salvation hangs, depends, and eternity rests. From this moment forth let's resolve ourselves to the fact that we will set our minds on the spiritual lesson of forgiveness and let the our hearts forgive all those who have hurt us.
“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 your grandeur which causes us to faint in your presence, and your gentle hand that lifts us up again. Your aura is mighty, yet unbound love flows from you like a gushing river of life. 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 offer my forgiveness perfectly, to ask for the forgiveness of others. Teach me to overcome the challenges where my heart is lacking in the strength to do so. Gracious Lord, I thank you for your Son Jesus Christ and beseech you that in my shortfalls before Him you instruct me and lead me towards His perfection and allow me to do those things that He teaches which will enable me to receive the gift of His redemption. When I soar, never let it be too high, when I fall, never let it be beneath your reach, and when I forgive, make it to the full depth of my heart and soul. Great are you Father, and greatly to be praised. In Christ I am washed clean of sin, and by forgiving, as He forgives, I am saved and made worthy of eternity in your presence. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you my God who loves me and forgives my sins and transgressions perfectly. Holy is your Son Jesus who teaches me of forgiveness, and your Holy Spirit who leads me in my prayers of contrition and the understanding of the power brought by my forgiving. Hear me today as I pray this prayer, ask that my forgiveness be your will, and reach out to you in the name of your Son Jesus.
Amen, Amen, Amen!!!
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
1 John 1:9 ESV
“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
“And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”
Mark 11:25 ESV
“Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;”
Luke 6:37 ESV
Rich Forbes