FORGIVENESS

About 10 years ago i spent two weeks with the Missionaries of Charity in a very poor part of LA. i was wondering if i should spend my life with them. They live a very austere life and are in prayer for most of the day, while working and while at home. Today i am reminded of something Mother Teresa said:

"Really, God is very much in love with us. For example, we go to Him full of sin and come away without sin. How could there be greater love? This is something the human mind cannot understand. That is why Jesus continually says, "Love as i have loved you"(John 13:34). We must be able to forgive like that."

Today i was reading in Hebrews 9. There is a revelation in what Mother Teresa said. Not just loving our neighbor or dieing for him. But that over 2000 years ago, JESUS, the Son of God came to dwell among us as a human man, suffer and die an excruciating death on the cross, be raised fom the dead,so we can be forgiven of our sin and have new life in Him. No greater love is there than this. Our big sins, our petty sins, our stupid sin, all our sin, all of it. He took it all on, forever. From the moment He died, and the veil was ripped twain from top to bottom, and the earth did quake, and we could see into the Holy of Holies, everything changed for us. Our heart is now the tabernacle of meeting, the Holy of Holies. Amen and praise God. We now have a personal God and Saviour to call out to. And still today over 2000 years later, we do not get it. That is so sad. Hearts are hard and do not hear Him. What will it take? Us Going...

"For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us. Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others. For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world, but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment, So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many, and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation." Hebrews 9:24-28

Jesus Christ, by one sacrifice, has destroyed the works of the devil, that believers may be made righteous, holy, and happy. As no wisdom, learning, virtue, wealth, or power, can keep one of the human race from death, so nothing can deliver a sinner from being condemned at the day of judgment, except the atoning sacrifice of Christ; nor will one be saved from eternal punishment who despises or neglects this great salvation. The true believer knows that his Redeemer liveth, and that he shall see him. Here is the faith and patience of the church, of all sincere believers. Hence is our continual prayer as the fruit and expression of our faith, Even so come, Lord Jesus. Amen and amen.