Ministry of Forgiveness

"LORD, if you kept a record of our sins,

who, O Lord, could ever survive?

But you offer forgiveness,

that we might learn to fear you."

Psalm 130:3-4

Do you ever feel like we take God too lightly?  That as a people, we've somehow lowered Him to a position unworthy of His majesty?  That in our hunger for His companionship, we have made Him out to be a friend who is like our human friends?  It's not the idea of intimacy that bothers me.  Rather it's the casual way we view Him that doesn't seem quite right.  

When I came across this scripture, it stirred something inside, opened up a new layer of understanding, generated new questions to explore.  Won't you come along with me, dear reader?

Usually, I think that the forgiveness offered through faith in Jesus Christ results in thanksgiving and cultivates a grateful spirit.  I'm so glad that God forgives me through Christ, that He doesn't give me what I deserve, that I owe Him my life in return, a kind of sacrifice of praise in the way I live (Romans 6:23,12:1).  There is more, however, a deeper manifestation of forgiveness than I realized.

Inadequacy.  We all have sinned (Romans 3:23).  No one is good, not one (Ecclesiastes 7:20).  There is no man or woman, boy or girl, who has ever lived in all of history who was able to reach God's perfect standard.  Not the virgin Mary.  Not Mother Teresa.  Not Billy Graham.  No matter how well someone lives their life, each is still a sinful creature in desperate need of a Savior.

Once I understand and recognize my inability to be good enough to stand before a holy, righteous God in my own right, without the benefit of an advocate to argue my case, without the sanctifying cover of the blood of Jesus, I realize the depth of my sin problem.  The sin that is part of who I am, that I cannot help, that comes so naturally to me, is also the very thing that estranges me from the One who loves me perfectly, who has the power to make my life complete, who has what I've been searching for all my life.  But I, in myself, cannot survive His holy wrath if He chose to unleash upon me what I deserve from Him.  Even more, I cannot even come into His presence on my own to receive anything good from Him who is the source of all that is good (James 1:17).

Before I can receive the forgiveness of God through faith in Jesus Christ, I must come to a point of depravity, knowing my need for His pardon and my utter inability to earn it in any way.

Mercy.  Think about a world where I received what I truly deserved.  Sure, in my prideful way of thinking, I imagine that I have earned good things by the way I live my life, in the beneficial decisions that I make, in the generosity of my giving.  But my ability to judge my own behavior is tainted by sin, it is inaccurate to say the least.  Only God knows what I truly deserve.  And if He gave me what I earned through my twisted way of living, the destructive habits and patterns I've learned as a way of coping with this dark world, the self-centered method I've used to order my priorities, I'd be dead in a heartbeat.  If God really did keep a record of all my corrupt behaviors and mindsets, I would never leave a single day.

But there is a holding off of His righteous judgment until the appointed time, a grace period, an interval intentionally left between the sin I commit and the judgement I deserve.  This gap in time leaves room from the grace of God that is mine through faith in Jesus Christ.  Since it is my Father's will that all of His created image bearers come to a saving faith in Jesus, He graciously leaves time for each to come to repentance and accept the gift of mercy that comes by faith in Christ (2 Peter 3:9).

As I come to a recognition of my own depravity, I can then acknowledge God's merciful timing in holding off judgment to leave time for repentance.

Offer.  I see my need for a Savior, my own inability to save myself from the sin of my flesh.  I recognize God mercifully chooses to not judge me on the spot for how I've grieved Him, but gives time for all to come to Christ by faith.  Then I see the offer of salvation for what it is:  a gift of mercy by a merciful God.  It dawns on me that a thin yet powerful layer of blood separates me from the righteous wrath of God.  It becomes evident to me that my very flesh repulses God.  If it weren't for Jesus and His sacrifice on the cross, I'd have no hope of coming boldly before the throne of grace to freely receive all that I need to live for Him (Hebrews 4:16)

And the awe comes, the reverence for such a holy God who I am unable to see for His sacredness, the fear for a righteous God I don't deserve yet have freely been offered.  Who am I to kneel before Him?  How is it that I can speak to Him as if He were a good friend?  Why am I able to open my heart to Him as a beloved daughter to a Father?  As I ponder such mysteries, I offer back my reverence in response for such a God as this.

The dawning of my own need for a Savior, followed by gratitude for His merciful timing that allowed me to be found in my lostness, results in my astonishment of Him as a dangerous God from whose wrath I've been mercifully saved in order to be able to know Him as Papa.  Of this may I never forget.

It's easy to take sin casually in light of the forgiveness that is mine through faith in Christ.  It is equally as natural to start seeing God as if He were like man, able to be fully understood and thus like one of us.  There is an understanding that comes through forgiveness where I realize my own inadequacy, acknowledge God's merciful timing in holding off judgement, and offer back my reverence in response to the forgiveness that is mine through Christ.  This is the ministry of Forgiveness, not that I simply accept and be thankful, but that I come to a deeper understanding of His holy nature and righteous wrath.  He is a dangerous God who welcomes me into His refuge of mercy; of this I must always stand in awe.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that a spirit of respect and awe will grow for God.

When do I take the gift of forgiveness for granted, treating it as a cheap gift?

How am I living in a way that shows my disregard for God's holy nature?

   

Who Can Stand?

"But the LORD killed seventy men from Beth-shemesh

because they looked into the Ark of the LORD.

And the people mourned greatly because 

of what the LORD had done.

'Who is able to stand in the presence of the LORD,

this holy God?'  they cried out.

'Where can we send the Ark from here?'"

1 Samuel 6:19-20 NLT

They were overjoyed at the sight of the ark.  One minute they were harvesting in the fields, bent over in their labor, the next they were rejoicing, lifting their hands to the heavens.  How did the ark get here?  How could these cows have delivered it, going against instinct and leaving behind their calves?  It is a miracle!  God has brought His ark of the covenant back to His people! 

As the men of Beth-shemesh prepared the sacrifice, they marveled at the fact that the Lord had not only brought the ark back to the land of His people, but specifically to a priestly town where it would be handled properly. (Joshua 21:16) They rejoiced in His providence.  Unfortunately, in their exuberance and perhaps curiosity, some of these men who knew better forgot that God is holy and to be revered.  They violated this symbol of His presence by looking upon the ark with their lowly eyes. (Numbers 4:5,20)  Not to let this attitude be overlooked, God struck the offenders down, providing a sober reminder of His holiness and their unworthiness.

It is easy to get comfortable with God.  The more I get to know Him, the closer I grow, drawing near as I learn about His role as my loving Father who extends mercy and grace through the blood of His Son, Jesus.  Sometimes, however, I become so at ease around Him that I forget His holy nature.  In order to help me cultivate a healthy respect for Him, then, there are some qualities that God will develop in me as I cooperate with the ongoing transformation process.

Humbleness

He was said to be the most humble man on the face of the earth.  When it came to his own honor, he easily let criticism pass. (Numbers 12:2)  If God's reputation were disrespected, however, he was passionate, to say the least, ready to defend His holy name. (Exodus 32:19-20)  Moses understood how he fit into the scheme of things, with God being the One to deserve all glory and honor.

If I am to similarly recognize the holiness of God as I live in tandem with Him, I must become less and He must become more.  As I grow closer, His perfect nature will become more apparent and my own wretchedness will be made plain.  In this way, I am being humbled.

Sometimes it takes a life-threatening illness to burn out the impurity of my own pride.  When I hold even the most elementary of beliefs that there is some good within me or that I am capable of doing something worthwhile apart from Him, I am in danger of minimizing God's holiness.  God will do what it takes to show me how dependent upon Him I am.

Other times He will take away His favor, showing me how wretched a creature am I.  When I start to harbor feelings of self-satisfaction, wrongly believing I'm pretty good at this thing we call the Christian life, I am in danger of minimizing God's holiness.  It then takes a wake-up call from God to remind me of how hopeless I am without Him.

Then there are times when God may give me what I selfishly want, vividly illustrating the futility of following my own path.  When I desire my way over God's, I am in danger of minimizing God's holiness.  He has His own method of showing me just how foolish are my plans and how far superior are His.

As I go through life, God will humble me in ways that reveals more and more of His holy nature.

Reverence

He did exactly as God told him to do even though he didn't understand it.  Despite his inability to figure out how God would conquer the great walled city, this leader passed on the instructions precisely as God had given them to him.  The priests were given their peculiar marching orders.  The people knew what they must do.  Despite the fact that the people might think he was nuts, Joshua did exactly as God had commanded him to do. (Joshua 6) 

As familiar as the story of Joshua and the fall of Jericho might be, I may not have realized the reverence Joshua held for God.  He respected Him enough to obey His orders without feeling the need to understand what God was doing or how in the world walking around the city would result in victory.  Instead, he simply did as he was told.  His obedience revealed a level of respect for God of which I need.

It reminds me of the broken speedometer in my vehicle.  Even though I can gauge my speed by how fast others are driving, I still want to know the exact reading.  Similarly, it's hard for me to trust in something I don't fully understand.  If I am to put my faith in a God whose ways are so far superior to mine, then, I will need to accept the fact that His ways are unfathomable. (Isaiah 55:8-9)  It is impossible for me to understand His purposes and plans.  (Romans 11:33)  I cannot expect to be able to uncover the mysteries of His mind.  (Job 5:9, Psalm 139:6)  Instead, I am to revere God enough to do as He says.

As I go through life, God will develop in me a reverence for His unsearchable ways.

Submissiveness

He did as he was told without question.  When God said to leave the only home he ever knew and the family he loved so much, he did so, not finding it necessary to know where they would end up.  (Genesis 12)  Later, when the Lord instructed him to sacrifice his only son, he responded in obedience. (Genesis 22)  Abraham was a man who submitted to the authority of God in his life.

Unfortunately for me, my will is strong.  In order to yield to God's will, mine must be weakened.  In other words, I must come to the point where His ways become more important to me than mine.  Then I will more easily heed His teachings, taking them seriously.  Up until then, I might brush His wisdom aside as optional or voluntary.  Once I see the connection between my love for Him and my willingness to do as He says, I'll leave behind my rebellious ways and become more submissive to His.

It reminds me of a company I hired to care for my lawn.  When they first showed up to do the job, I met them in the driveway so I could show them the boundaries of our yard and express what I expected.  As I spoke, the man on the lawn mower jumped off the machine and walked along the edge of our yard, asking questions to better understand where he was to mow.  I appreciated his attention to detail and his desire to take my instructions seriously.

This is what God wants from me, an earnest desire to do as He says and to take His Word seriously.  Whatever He reveals to me should be held as precious, so much so that I respond immediately, taking the teaching to heart and letting Him use His own Word to change my behaviors, thoughts and habits.  When I make myself like a pliable lump of clay, God can mold me into the woman He created me to be.  When I stubbornly insist on my way, hardening my heart in fear or obstinacy, I will stay as I am.

As I go through life, God will shape me into a submissive child who takes her Father's instructions seriously.

It is easy to get too comfortable with God, thinking of Him as if He were like me.  In such a mindset, I am in danger of offending the holy nature of God.  As I cooperate with His sanctifying work in my life, I will become more humble, develop a reverence for Him and learn submissiveness.  In these ways, I will truly understand that no one can stand before such a holy God:  Only He is worthy to be praised.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can keep God's holiness in mind as I let Him have His way in my life.

When do I treat God almost like a servant, expecting Him to do my bidding?

How do I offend His holiness in the flippant way I deal with Him or talk about Him?  Do I say His name with reverence?