By nature I am a fast eater. Maybe it was growing up in a household of 10 people or maybe it is my Type-A personality which does everything fast. Regardless, over my lifetime I have looked at eating as mostly an interim kind of activity. When I was a child I came in from playing, whoofed down my food, and ran back outside to resume my activities. Now that I am an adult I eat my lunch at my desk while I’m working on my computer or, at home, I eat dinner while talking with the family. The result is that I usually don’t notice what I’m eating nor do I take the time to savor it. With all the wonderful meals my wife prepares for me this is a terrible loss on my part.
Yesterday, while reading The Search For Significance, by Robert S McGee, I read a sentence that leaped off the page to me. In writing about our tendency to blame others for our problems and failures, McGee wrote, “If we have trusted Christ for our salvation, God has forgiven us, and wants us to experience His forgiveness on a daily basis.” Wow, that statement really hit me!
As do most Christians (at least I hope they do!) I try to keep short accounts with God. Most days I confess my sins and ask to be forgiven of them as per I John 1:9 - “If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” It suddenly dawned on me that I approach forgiveness the same way I approach food. I go through the mechanics of it but never stop to savor it. To put it another way, I often ask for forgiveness but seldom take the time to experience forgiveness. I can’t believe this. After all these years and I finally understand this? Where was I all this time?
I don’t know if this is something that you struggle with but it may be, in which case I have some company. So much of our walk with God is the same - certain things that we say or do every day - that after a while it becomes nothing more than routine. When it becomes routine the feelings and appreciation usually end as well. In thinking about this in relation to forgiveness, if we had been accused of a crime and then were acquitted, how would we feel? Indifferent, unmoved, stoic? I think not! Instead we would feel relieved, grateful, happy. Precisely.
From now on, each day when I confess my sins and ask God to forgive me for them, I want to pause and just breathe in, accept and appreciate that forgiveness! I want it to wash over my soul, to lift my spirit and give me joy and thankfulness - especially in light of what that forgiveness cost my Savior! If I can get into this habit I know that my spiritual life will be blessed. Then I can work on appreciating my food a little more as well.
Lord, thank you for Your incredible gift of forgiveness which is available to me through Jesus. Help me to take advantage of it at every opportunity and to also take the time to savor and appreciate it for what it is - a gift, from You, to me! In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Yesterday, while reading The Search For Significance, by Robert S McGee, I read a sentence that leaped off the page to me. In writing about our tendency to blame others for our problems and failures, McGee wrote, “If we have trusted Christ for our salvation, God has forgiven us, and wants us to experience His forgiveness on a daily basis.” Wow, that statement really hit me!
As do most Christians (at least I hope they do!) I try to keep short accounts with God. Most days I confess my sins and ask to be forgiven of them as per I John 1:9 - “If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” It suddenly dawned on me that I approach forgiveness the same way I approach food. I go through the mechanics of it but never stop to savor it. To put it another way, I often ask for forgiveness but seldom take the time to experience forgiveness. I can’t believe this. After all these years and I finally understand this? Where was I all this time?
I don’t know if this is something that you struggle with but it may be, in which case I have some company. So much of our walk with God is the same - certain things that we say or do every day - that after a while it becomes nothing more than routine. When it becomes routine the feelings and appreciation usually end as well. In thinking about this in relation to forgiveness, if we had been accused of a crime and then were acquitted, how would we feel? Indifferent, unmoved, stoic? I think not! Instead we would feel relieved, grateful, happy. Precisely.
From now on, each day when I confess my sins and ask God to forgive me for them, I want to pause and just breathe in, accept and appreciate that forgiveness! I want it to wash over my soul, to lift my spirit and give me joy and thankfulness - especially in light of what that forgiveness cost my Savior! If I can get into this habit I know that my spiritual life will be blessed. Then I can work on appreciating my food a little more as well.
Lord, thank you for Your incredible gift of forgiveness which is available to me through Jesus. Help me to take advantage of it at every opportunity and to also take the time to savor and appreciate it for what it is - a gift, from You, to me! In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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