I was moved to tears this morning. We were reading Galatians 4:1-7 as
recommended by REJOICE!, our daily
devotional magazine. It talks about the laws that the Jewish people followed
thinking that could save them. (We too
are apt to follow and try to do those things that we think will earn us points
with God. A flash-back reminded me of a time in my life when I was bound by
that ritual.)
“But when the right time came, the time God decided on,”
says verse 4, “he sent his Son, born of a woman, born as a Jew, to buy freedom
for us who were slaves to the law, so he could adopt us as his very own sons.” (My heart leapt in gladness and glowed with
warmth at God’s mercy.)
The scripture continues in verse 6, “And because we are his
sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, so now we can rightly
speak of God as our dear Father.” Wow! If
that isn’t grace, I don’t know what is!
My heart was already full of gratitude, saying “Oh my Father, my dear
Father!”
Then I read Leonard Beechy’s comments on the scripture. He described Rembrandt’s painting The Return of the Prodigal Son, which
captures the moment the son throws himself on his father’s mercy and is ready
to tell him he is no longer worthy to be called his son, but the father is so
caught up in finally having his son back, his eyes shut, holding his son closely
to his heart. Beechy says the father is “completely absorbed in the embrace of
his precious son.”
That moved my heart too, but the next sentence really got to
me. “We too are inclined to approach God
with our failings and frailties as though we were slaves ready to scrape, beg,
and bargain.” That’s when tears sprang to my eyes and choked me up so I could
hardly continue reading.
Yes, God has asked us to confess our sins to keep our lives
clear of debris and to free us to live victorious and able to serve with
joy. How often, though, when I confess a
failure in my life, do I remember all those other times I have failed or done
wrong, and I wonder if God isn’t tired of hearing me come again, with my dysfunction
and yet another confession. I can’t believe that God wouldn’t remember all
those times. But Beechy says, “God will
have none of it. Before we can even
begin, God gathers us into loving arms, receiving us completely and
joyfully. Each time we come, God has
prepared for the meeting.”
I too often forget that Jesus came, lived, died and rose
again so that I can be cleansed from “all unrighteousness.” My human mind can’t conceive the fact that if
I confess my sin, it is wiped away. God
can no longer see it. He sees only the blood-washed me; the cleansed and made
pure me. He sees me only as his beloved
child, his heart glad that I’ve come once more into his embrace. Beechy says, “In the eternal Now of the
fullness of time, you come into God’s presence as nothing less than God’s
beloved child, eternally welcomed, eternally embraced.”
At this time of year, when we remember Jesus’ coming to
earth as a babe in a lowly manger, if we stop in our busy, frantic rush, we can see all that he gave up to live as a
human among humans. We need to remember
the purpose for which he came. To forget
that, is like ignoring a precious gift someone has given us—forgetting to open
it, or opening it and setting it aside, never thanking the giver. It’s an open affront to a gracious giver.
Rather, let us bring joy to a loving Father, coming into his
open arms and leaning against his breast.
Let us come home to that eternal welcome--embrace and soak up the
love he’s so ready to give us.
Joy to
the world, the Lord is come!
1 comment:
A beautiful meditation -- thanks Ruth!
The Prodigality of the father in welcoming home his lost son with the embracing love of forgiveness is truly sublime. A great picture of our Heavenly Father's all-embracing mercy.
All the blessings of Christmas to you and your loved ones, with grace and peace throughout the Coming Year. ~~+~~
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