Saturday
23rd December
Forgiveness/ Le Pardon
As we look towards Christmas, a time of
excitement and celebration, forgiveness might not be the first thing on our
minds. And yet, what we’re celebrating is the arrival of Jesus and the
beginning of the greatest story of forgiveness on which our faith is founded.
For God so loved the world that he gave his only
son … for us all, for all that we've done and continue to do.
At Christmas, we are looking at the beginning of
a journey of forgiveness. The beginning of our own story as Christians.
The psalmist in Psalm 130 goes on their own
journey, from desperation, to presence with God, to a forward-looking hope for
all of Israel.
Out of the depths of his own personal darkness,
the Psalmist cries to the Lord, begging to be heard, begging to be listened to
and granted mercy.
How often have we felt powerless in our own
situations of darkness and how often have we pleaded for forgiveness, but
perhaps forgetting to seek that forgiveness.
Perhaps we are carrying the weight of anger and
shame with us. God has forgiven all of that already. God knows all of our
weaknesses, our darkest imperfections and wiped them away.
As the Psalmist realises this in verses three
through four, they realise the magnitude of God’s mercy, and the writer comes
into the present and out of desperation. As we wait on the Lord, we wait with
the Lord.
The Psalmist becomes aware of God’s presence and
looks outward, from themselves and the forgiveness they have been granted and
calls on others to do the same.
Sometimes it might feel like we are trapped and
waiting for others to forgive us, or for us to forgive ourselves. But in the
waiting, when we wait with God, we can see how He has already released us from
that weight and invites us to release ourselves.
But the experience is not a passive one. We must
take a step on that journey with God… because as Matthew writes, “For
if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also
forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not
forgive you.”
This Advent, give thanks for Gods unending grace
and forgiveness, release yourself and know that you are forgiven, and consider
where you might need to forgive others. (Cet Avent, rends grâce pour la grâce et
le pardon sans fin de Dieu, libère-toi et sache que tu es pardonné, et
considère où tu aurais besoin de pardonner les autres).
Laurel
Henning
No comments:
Post a Comment