A morning muse - basic stuff 101

Thinking this morning: in the old testament we hear of God's chesed, His love and mercy, mercy being NOT getting what we deserve – which is His judgment for our sin against Him. He made a provision, a covering, a temporary fix to our sin problem. In the new testament we find His grace, His charis – getting what we don't deserve, which is His forgiveness – His sufficiency in restoring us to right relationship with Him. They are like two sides of a coin – where love is the common thread and binds them together. God's love has never changed and has always been present.

Come, and let us return to the Lord . . .

For He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up.

I read an article this morning which made a distinction between the Hebraic term teshuvah/returning to the Lord and repentance/regret or sorrow for an action or to change one's mind. I was thinking of Adam and Eve. When they realized their sin, they hid from God, which is what our sin usually does – causes us to hide. We regret our actions and while this may lead to a change, it can also be a trap. The change comes when we return to the Lord and is the only way out of the trap. In His presence there is forgiveness and there is restoration. Change can happen when sin is acknowledged, brought into the light of God's love. His mercy and grace are greater than our sin. Sorrow and regret can be a trap, however, unless they lead to returning. The enemy can use our sorrow and regret to take away hope and creates despair – if we see only the sin and not the way out. Judas' sorrow lead to his destruction, he literally could not live with his sin. Peter's sorrow lead to new life, a changed life. His sorrow lead him back to the One who loved him, forgave him and restored him to fellowship. And I believe - I know - this fellowship was now on a new level of intimacy and trust and adoration that came from the brokenness of sin. 

For thus says the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel: "In returning and rest you shall be saved; In quietness and confidence shall be your strength." 

Morning musings on John 16:16-33

Reading in Ray Stedman this morning – about our need to understand “why” and our belief that if we understand, we will have peace. We want it to make sense. But faith calls us to something deeper than our understanding. There are times when life just doesn't make sense, when we think it's unfair – but it's in those times that we have a choice – to become confused, uncertain and frustrated or we can simply trust You. I know You are able to work in either choice, but our peace comes in trusting You – that You have it all in Your hands and that Your purposes are always for our good.