How Great It Is To Be Forgiven! Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me, I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see. Have you ever made a mistake in your life? There are a few people I know who will say they never have but I can honestly say that there has only been one perfect person on this earth and it was through His example that amazing grace was revealed in a personal way. A blind man, considered sinful and worthless by the so called perfect people of the day, yet the one perfect Man, the Priest of all priests took the time to stop and talk to the blind man and then He did something that no one in that time would even consider doing; He touched the filthy, sinful beggar and healed him fully. It did not cost the blind man a penny, there was no sacrifice needed to be made, the perfect Grace of God was fully sufficient for the blind man. (read John 9:1-40) Something that was very interesting about this story was that the reason for this man’s blindness was never brought up. The question asked by the disciples in the second verse was “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents that he was born blind?” What is important is not who sinned but rather the fact that Jesus healed him fully. I have heard it said by many that they were a Christian since birth, born into good, solid Christian home yet in Romans I have also read “God makes people right through their faith in Jesus Christ. He does this for all who believe in Christ. Everyone is the same. All have sinned and are not good enough to share God’s divine greatness. They are made right with God by his grace. This is a free gift. They are made right with God by being made free from sin through Jesus Christ. God gave Jesus as a way to forgive.” Romans 3:22-25 ERV. There has only been one who was born perfect and lived perfect and it is by His grace that we are saved. A young woman brought before the Lord as not only a test for Him but also a trial for her was found to be sinful and unworthy; her sentence by the laws of the so called perfect priests of the Temple was death by stoning yet at her trial, the judgement was not brought down upon her head but rather upon those who accused her. “Let those who are without sin cast the first stone.” How would you like to be put into that position? If you have lived the perfect life, are you capable of casting the first stone? I once was lost but those who are nearest and dearest to me know that it was by the Grace of God that I was saved and they helped to open my eyes to that fact. This poor young girl was a sinner, sentenced to die but through Christ she was saved and the eyes of the accusers were opened but the question is did they learn anything? The sweetest sound anyone can hear is the Saviour calling out “I don’t judge you either. You can go now, but don’t sin again.” as He did with the woman in John 8. His example, the perfect example of forgiveness and grace, is one that is given freely for all who call upon Him as Lord and Saviour and one we should make every effort to emulate. In the Lord’s Prayer we pray for God to forgive us our trespasses or debts as we forgive others who are indebted to us. This is the Year of Jubilee and the Year of Shmita, a time to forgive others indebtedness to each of us and to give over to a new start. Is this the year that you call up that friend who has hurt you or is in debt to you and forgive them? Is this the year you relieve the stress and release others from the burdens of the past? Is this the year our eyes are opened and we experience the release from old bondage and go forward with a new lease on life? Let me leave you with these words from Christ Tomlin’s song: “My chains are gone, Ive been set free. My God, my Savior has ransomed me. And like a flood His mercy reigns. Unending love, amazing grace.” May His grace and forgiveness continue to go before you and may you be blessed richly by our loving God and Saviour Jesus Christ this coming year. Shalom Rev Todd MacDonald
Posted on: Wed, 31 Dec 2014 04:50:10 +0000
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