4 WriteStuff

My relationship meditation this week, naturally goes to forgiveness… one thing we can count on in life is that many will wrong us, and we will likewise wrong many. I cannot expect my unkind words and actions to be forgiven if I do not forgive the same from others.

Sin is sin. The 10 commandments don’t have a point value for each sin that we can do so much penance to make up for the things we have done, thought or said. When I think a vindictive thought, it can be as great a sin as murder. When I try to focusing on judging your sin, I become guilty of the same.

Forgiveness… isn’t that the theme of the season? Of God’s desire, of His ultimate sacrifice to reconcile us – flawed as we are – back to relationship with Him? He is not satisfied with superficial, but desires a deep, heart felt relationship.

God speaks to us, to our heart in so many ways, but we seek HIm in things or actions that are of our own devise. I say (ad nauseam) that God often wakes me at 3 a.m. because that’s the only time I shut up long enough to listen. Apparently there are several of us in the 3 a.m. crowd. That is a bit of an exaggeration, I can hear God anytime I seek Him. First I empty my heart of me, then I can ask for Him to reveal Himself, shut up, listen/read His word interact with the one true God who is so big that I cannot contain all the love He pours out…

I was complaining the other day that it seems I fight (and often lose) the clutter battle daily. Honestly, it does no good to fight the clutter battle in my office and lose it in my heart.

There was no room for Jesus at the inn… I am horrified when my life, my heart is so filled with other things, that I make no room for Him in my heart and life.

Forgiveness… so cleansing, healing. Unforgiveness takes up way too much room in our hearts. When we are unforgiving, the seeds of bitterness, anger, strive occupy too much space. I have to let the Holy Spirit clean those out before I truly have room in my heart for God’s great goodness, for His amazing grace.

Time for some deep cleaning today… If I have room for nothing else, room for God keeps my heart beating and the other pieces of life fall into place.

Deeper Still
11 For as the heavens are high above the earth,
So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;
12 As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
13 As a father pities his children,
So the Lord pities those who fear Him. Psalm 103

37 “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” Luke 6

8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,”[a] you do well; 9 but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. 11 For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,”[b] also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. 13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. James 2