'forgiveness' Tagged Posts
Daily Devotions
When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?’” vss. 2-3 Matthew 11:2-5 John had been waiting all of his life. Religion had let him down. The massive corruption of the temple leaders had driven him into the wilderness where he waited in stillness until he perceived signs that God had acted, and that…
Daily Devotions
Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ He replied, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.’” vss. 42-43 Luke 23:39-43 It’s possible to get completely sidetracked by this little exchange between two dying men in Luke’s gospel. Because we wonder about the nature of life beyond death, we look here for clues that can help us construct some sort of timetable for what happens once we draw our last breath.…
Daily Devotions
When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.’” vs.33-34a Luke 23:33-38 These words of Jesus are not recorded in the other gospels, but we can be grateful that Luke included them in his. It’s here that we begin to understand more completely the core of Jesus’…
Daily Devotions
For there is no distinction, since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus…” vss. 22b-24 Romans 3:19-25 For years Martin Luther struggled with his own sinfulness, believing that there had to be some way by which he could, by his own effort, be free from the horrible burden of guilt. But nothing worked, and his anguish continued until…
Daily Devotions
The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the foremost.” vs. 15 1 Timothy 1:15-17 Paul wasn’t a half-way sort of guy. By his own estimation he was a brilliant scholar, far more zealous for the law than any of his peers, blameless in all of his words and actions. But after his encounter with the Risen Christ, he came to see that he was also…
Daily Devotions
Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.” vss. 9-10 Psalm 51:1-10 Even though most people are acutely aware of their shortcomings, they have different ways of referring to them. Some are comfortable with calling them sins, while others might call them personality defects, addictions, or mistakes. They are those words or actions that haunt us from the past…
Daily Devotions
If he has wronged you in any way, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand: I will repay it. I say nothing about your owing me even your own self.” vss. 18-19 Philemon 1:10-21 Paul is doing everything he can to ensure that Philemon will receive Onesimus with love when he returns. He knows that when Onesimus ran away he may have left some debts behind or even stolen…
Daily Devotions
And he believed the Lord; and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness.” vs. 6 Genesis 15:1-6 Abraham’s response to God’s promise of many descendants was picked up by Paul as a proof that salvation comes through faith and not through obedience to the Law. Abraham didn’t have much going for him according to the scriptures. He never did settle down, was unbelievably cruel to the mother of his first son, and a big-time liar while he lived in…
Daily Devotions
…God made you alive together with him, when he forgave us all our trespasses, erasing the record that stood against us with its legal demands. He set this aside, nailing it to the cross.” vss. 13b-14 Colossians 2:13-15 There is a Cursillo retreat ritual, likely inspired by this verse, during which participants are given small sheets of white paper on which they are encouraged to privately make a list of their sins. When they have finished, they are invited to…
Daily Devotions
O my God, in you I trust; do not let me be put to shame; do not let my enemies exult over me.” vs. 2 Psalm 25:1-10 Guilt and shame have haunted human existence from the beginning, a pair of companions on life’s journey that we would love to be free of. They’re universal feelings–everyone has experienced them, and of the two, shame is the most disheartening. We can negotiate with guilt. It comes as a result of something that…
Daily Devotions
When his disciples James and John saw it, they said, ‘Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?’” vs. 54 Luke 9:51-55 When the Samaritan villagers refused to receive Jesus as he made his way to Jerusalem, James and John were filled with indignation. They wanted to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them–they wanted to kill them all. Jesus of course rebuked them and simply went on to…
Daily Devotions
But nothing unclean will enter it, nor anyone who practices abomination or falsehood, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” vs. 27 Revelation 21:10, 21-27 As the book of Revelation draws to a close, its writer describes the holy city of Jerusalem as the center of God’s new creation. The vision brings to mind the great castles of Fantasyland, a place where there is no night, death will be no more, and everything is suffused…