We’ve all done it. We’ve all made a choice that has haunted us for some time to follow. That choice may have been eating two chili dogs right before bed. That choice may have been to yell at our spouse. That choice may have been to break a civil law. No matter the choice we have made, it’s still a bad choice and we have to live the with the consequences.
Admittedly some consequences are easier to live with than others. Think about it for a second. The chili dog incident only affected you for a few hours. While the raising of your voice at your spouse may have had a longer lasting impact. And breaking the civil law is something you could have on your shoulders for years, even a lifetime in the eyes of the world.
But at the heart of the matter they all are the same. They are all bad choices. They are all evidence of a lack of better judgment on our part. I’ve been trying to teach my children about life skills and good judgment lately. We’ve talked about thinking before you act and dealing with the consequences of those actions. We’ve talked about punishment/consequence for bad behavior and rewards for good behavior. This is the way we think rewards and punishments. The bigger the bad choice the bigger the consequence and the more you get caught doing right, the bigger the reward.
But there’s a challenge we face as followers of Jesus in this realm. We often get trapped in this manner of thinking when it comes to God. The problem is it’s all the same in his eyes. The minor lapse in judgment and the breaking of the civil law are all the same. To put it in churchy words for a second, a sin is a sin.
I was chatting with a friend recently who had a lapse in judgment. After admitting the poor choices made and doing everything possible to make it right there’s still a guilt that sits in the pit of the stomach. There’s still a how could I have done that feeling in this friend’s mind. It even goes so far as I don’t belong here anymore, referring to church.
Friends let me tell you something. While I don’t want to downplay the effects of bad choices and mistakes, they have already been dealt with. I’ll tell you what I’ve told others – because of Jesus you are forgiven. That means that you and I have the assurance in life that when we make poor choices or have a lapse in judgment there is still a chance for us. The world may still point fingers, there may still be punishment from the civil courts, but sinners are welcome in God’s house!
If a sinner can’t come to a place of worship to receive the forgiveness of Christ then why are we even here? Just like the hospital is for people who are sick, so also the church is for those who are broken and messed up. The reason? Because it’s not about us! The church is about God’s unmerited love for us in Jesus. It’s not about our good or bad deeds. It’s not about our great and crafty words. It’s about a cross and an empty grave. It’s not about fingers pointing but hands open wide to share the love and forgiveness of Jesus with us, yeah us! Not only does Jesus love the world, he loves you.
In the words of the Apostle Paul, make my joy complete by believing in the one who grants forgiveness. He doesn’t say it’s ok; he says It’s finished. He says the storm is over. He says the debt is paid in full. He says hold your head high because I have made you a child of the King. He says nothing you can do will ever change how much I love you.
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