Finding My Heart of Thanksgiving Again: Forgiven

November is usually a lovely time on social media. People post daily about the things for which they're grateful. We see photos of children, extended family, co-workers, home, and treasured activities. It's one of my favorite months. 

Usually.

This month, however, has not been so cordial. I've failed at posting thanks-filled words, too, so I'm not casting stones. Instead, I'm starting fresh and posting something about gratitude every day until Thanksgiving. Yes, it's only four days, but at least I've found my thankful heart again. 

My favorite Bible character, other than Jesus, is Enoch. I'm grateful for his simple witness. His story is pretty compact. After his son, Methuselah, was born, Enoch turned to God. For three hundred years, he walked with God. 

After my son was born, I turned to God in a brand-new way, too, so I like to think I'm just a little like Enoch.

What we know is that Enoch was there and then he was gone. God took him to heaven. No long, lingering death. No sickness. He stepped from this world into heaven with no warning or fanfare. Bam. He was gone to his heavenly home. That's how I'd like to live, and definitely how I'd like to go.

I had forgotten that Enoch is also mentioned in Jude. He prophesied about God's judgment against those who have done ungodly deeds in an ungodly way, and have spoken harsh things against Him. 

Jude makes it clear. These ungodly speakers are "grumblers, finding fault, following after their own lusts; they speak arrogantly..." (Jude 16)

I don't know about you, but that struck a little close to home. Today, I'm repenting of my grumbling, fault-finding, and all the rest. I'd rather be like Enoch than like the ones he prophesied against.

That brings me to my point of gratitude today:

I'm grateful for forgiveness.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

No matter what we've done or said, we can repent (admit we're wrong, apologize to God, and determine to stop doing it). God will not only forgive us, but He will also cleanse our heart as if we'd never sinned at all. If that miracle is not enough to rock our world, I don't know what is.

Today, let's stop, admit our grumbling, ask for forgiveness, and start fresh. Let's find our hearts of gratitude again. 

We live in a beautiful world. We have a good nation, despite its problems. We are blessed more than most of the world's population. We have lots for which we can, and should, give thanks. 

Make a start today. For what are you grateful? Comment below. I'd love to hear words of gratitude the rest of this month. Go...
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In case you missed yesterday's post, here's the link: When What We Need is a Divine Pruning to Restore Order to Our Lives
If God leads you to help support this ministry outreach, here's the link to give: Global Outreach Acct 4841
#thanksgiving

Totally forgiven

I read something this morning that was so beautiful I had to share it.

When you hear the name of King David, you probably think of Goliath the giant, or David as the shepherd boy who became king. If you know his story, you probably also remember the disaster with Bathsheba and Uriah and the terrible mess David made. The consequences of his sin affected him personally, his family, and his entire nation.

It's hard for me to forget that episode in David's life, but it's not hard for God.

When David came to the end of his sin, he was truly heartbroken. He went before the Lord, repented, and was forgiven. Today, I was reminded of how complete that forgiveness truly was. 

During the time of Jeroboam, the kingdom of Israel was split. Jeroboam was king over Israel, and Rehoboam (David's grandson) was king over Judah. Because Jerusalem was in Judah, Jeroboam was afraid the people would want to worship at the temple there, and he would eventually lose his kingdom.

In an attempt to decrease the number of people seeking God in Jerusalem, Jeroboam started a new religion. He evicted the true priests from Israel, built two golden calves, and instituted worship of the idols.

Needless to say, God was not pleased. He eventually sent a message to Jeroboam through one of His prophets that he would destroy him and his lineage. In that conversation, He referenced "My servant David." 

"... you have not been like My servant David, who kept My commandments and who followed Me with all his heart, to do only that which was right in My sight;" 1 Kings 14: 8 nasb

When God remembered David, He didn't rehash his mistakes. He didn't recall the mess with Uriah and Bathsheba. He didn't bring up the time he numbered the people and was disciplined for it.

God treasured the sweet days of communion with His servant. When God forgave David, He "remembered it no more". 

When we seek forgiveness with a broken, repentant heart, that's how God views us, as well. He forgives and, ever after, sees our repentance, not our sin.

No matter what we have done in our past, God can forgive. No matter how heinous our sins, God can wash us white as snow and remove them from us forever.

Today, let's take all our mistakes, our failures, our rebellion to the Lord and leave them with Him. Allow Him to forgive and cleanse us with the confidence that He will never remind us of those sins again. 

Forgiven. 

That's how God saw David, and it's how He will see us, as well. 

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In case you missed it, here's the link to yesterday's post: More blessed to give than to receive

Here's an intro video to the Hosea study: The Greatest Love Story

#forgiven #repent #linesfromleanna

Still a sinner

I hate to admit this, but I had a bit of  a critical, judgmental spirit last night in the airport. Yes, again. I have repented of this before, and have had to repent of it once more this morning. 

I was waiting in the boarding gate for my plane. A well-dressed man, who looked to be in his mid-forties, was chatting up a woman who appeared considerably younger. I've seen this kind of "chatting up" before, and had an idea where it might be leading. 

They were both headed toward Memphis, and he was a fast mover. Before we boarded the plane, I heard him ask where she lived. To my surprise, she told him. In case you're wondering, it is not a good idea to meet a man in the airport and give him your address, even if he is the most charming man you've ever seen.

She may not have noticed, but I saw an indention on his left ring finger from where a ring usually rested, and I assumed the worst. 

Off I went with critical, judgmental attitude again.

Of course, the interaction may have been perfectly innocent. He may have removed his ring after his wife died and this might have been the first time he's spoken to a woman since. She might have been the age of his daughter and reminded him of her. Any number of innocent reasons could have triggered the interaction, but I assumed the worst.

This morning, I was reading in Romans, but still thinking about the man, when I came to Romans 2:1.

"Therefore you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself, for you who judge practice the same things." Romans 2:1. nasb

My first impulse was to defend myself before the Lord. (Yes, I know that's foolish.) I'm certainly not doing what that man was doing, I thought. 

Romans 3:23, though, causes me to see the situation in a different light. My sin may not be the same as his sin, but it is still sin. 

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23 nasb

In case you're wondering, my sin is no worse (or better) than yours. Our sins are no worse (or better) than the most sinful person we know. God puts gossips in the same group with murderers. (Romans 1:29-30) It's all sin. We've all fallen short of God's standard.

There's good news and bad news.

The bad news first. Because we are sinners, we deserve death and hell.

Every single one of us. The murderers. The coveters. The gossips. The adulterers. On and on and on. We are sin-riddled people, and we deserve the worst punishment our righteous, perfect God can pour out. We do well to keep the truth of our sinfulness ever before us, if for no other reason than to avoid a critical, judgmental attitude.

We are in a desperate state because of our sin and there is nothing we can do to improve it.

There is good news, though. We deserve death, but God offers eternal life through Jesus. 

"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 3:23 nasb

That's pretty clear, isn't it? There's nothing we can do to save ourselves, no matter how hard we try, so God made a way of escape. He's given us a pardon from our death sentence. There's a catch, though. We have to accept this pardon His way.

Only accepting Jesus as Lord can save us from the death penalty of eternal hell.

It would be easier to make a big donation to a worthy cause or do some heroic action, but God will not accept a one-time "good deed". He calls us to a lifelong commitment to His Son, to the Lordship of Jesus.

It seems a severe kind of mercy. 

We give ourselves to Jesus so that we are no longer our own. It doesn't make sense in the me-focused society in which we live, but it's the only way. We accept His gift of redemption and forgiveness and, in return, we also accept His Lordship, His leading, His way. 

As if the pardon from our sin was not enough, God offers more. This leading of Christ is designed to be a blessing to us. Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that God has plans for us that are for our good, our welfare, not for evil or for calamity. 

We are all full of sin, but God has made a way of escape, and it is good.

Ponder that today. 

Jesus is all we need, and the plan He has, no matter how hard, will (in the end) be the best thing for us.

Since we, as believers, are no better than the world, let's make sure we communicate that truth to a world in darkness. We are sinners, just as they are. The only difference between us and them is the hope of Christ within us. Neither group deserves that hope, but it's offered freely to all. 

Undeserved, outrageous mercy. Inscrutable grace. Love beyond all measure. Jesus.

"It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all." 1 Timothy 1:15 nasb

#mercyandgrace #sin #savedbygrace #forgiven #disciple #JesusChrist
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In case you missed the most recent posts, here are the links: The Costly Bad Attitude and Going Home. 

The most-read post of the past week: Death is Not the End.