Forgiveness

Crossing the Bridge

/ pastorpete51 / 1 Comment

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you. Psalm 32:8 NIV

When I was about fourteen our parents often took my younger sister and I on day trips to the museums in New York. Like the average young boy I was hoping to see dinosaurs , but my step-father decided it was a better education to trudge through the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim or anyplace filled with paintings. One day after bringing us over to the Pratt Institute of Art in Brooklyn they decided to head back to Manhattan for lunch. At first I could hear mom say, “Look, there’s the Empire State building, just head that way and we’ll get there!” So, my step-dad headed through downtown Brooklyn towards the landmark which they could see in the distance. I don’t recall much except hearing him say, “I’m not going to stop and ask for directions. They always tell me to turn around and go the other way!” So they just kept driving, always keeping what was then the tallest skyscraper in New York in view. Unfortunately, when we came to the river our parents suddenly realized that they had forgotten they needed to cross a bridge!

Life is often like that. We are pretty sure we know where we need to be going and how to get there but we have forgotten that we need to cross God’s bridge. In Psalm 32, David shares with us how God had helped him out of the very lost part of his life, when he had sinned by having an affair with Bathsheba. But before he could receive God’s promise, David had to stop and ask directions – an act we call repentance. We often delay this as long as possible, because we know that, just like my step-dad, we will be told to turn around and go in the opposite direction.

But, if we will just humble ourselves and admit we are going the wrong way, God has a wonderful promise. First, He says that He will instruct us – In other words He will open His GPS app, called the Bible, and show us the way to the bridge. Next, God promises to teach us. In other words He gives step by step directions at every turn. But the best part comes at the end of the verse when He promises is to guide us with His eye. What an amazing Savior we serve. He is watching right now, wondering what we will do when we finally realize we need to find the bridge! He is always waiting for us to stop and ask for His help and forgiveness. When we do this, He promises that He will lovingly keep His eye on us by coming down, sitting next to us and riding alongside all the way across the river!

Be Careful Little Lips

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Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs. .. Ephesians 4:29

Harsh accusations, slander and insults without regard for their consequences have been burning down relationships in our communities like a forest fire. Though of all people, we who are Christians should know better, we are sometimes the source instead of the solution to this catastrophe. God not only forbids us from engaging in such evil kinds of speech but He has called us to bring His reconciliation not condemnation to our neighbors. When the Ephesians were struggling with the same problem, the Apostle Paul shows them the way out and the blessings that God instead had in mind.

Not a month goes by but somewhere in our country the grocery stores are forced to recall a product because of the danger of food poisoning. This verse is like God’s recall notice about our poisoned speech and its consequent actions. But simply silencing anger and slander would be like closing down the supermarkets because of some bad lettuce. People still need eat!

So instead of silence we need to begin with healthy words. But when we start saying things that are good and helpful it is like popping a chocolate cake into the oven. We still need to follow the cook book’s instructions and wait an hour until it’s baked!

For me the hardest part in the baking process is right after the cake comes out of the oven. I want to cut a big slice, pour a glass of milk and dig in. But that is never how things work at our house. “Honey we’re going to have to wait for it to cool first so I can frost it.” My wife always tells me with a smile! She wants everything to be finished before we enjoy the delicious result of her work. God also insists that our new way of speaking to and treating one another be covered by a sweet layer of forgiveness. Remembering all Jesus did so we can sit down at His table of grace requires some cooling down time. That way the frosting of mercy won’t just melt and run off but will stick us together in the love of Jesus Christ our Lord!

Have a great day everybody. Maybe you’d like to just put your feet up with some coffee and cake and listen to the Cedarmont Kids reminding us this morning to be careful of all we say!

The Doctor is In

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The prodigal’s return reunited him not only with his father but also with his brother. In the same way as we turn our hearts to seek God’s grace as a nation there will be a restoration of relationships both with God and each other. This cross always unites God’s people from every race, because we all have the same father. It heals division because religion separates but true relationship with Jesus Christ restores. The cross heals but until we recognize how desperately sick with materialism and selfishness we have become we will never get past the waiting room of God’s spiritual health clinic. The doctor is in. He is waiting for us. The question is will we come to Him today.