“I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better than they ever dreamed of.” John 10:10 The Message
The plate was passed as a reflective silence descended upon the sanctuary. My mind focused on the prayer just offered by our speaker. To offer my life as a sacrifice. A living sacrifice. How unworthy am I.
The plate arrived in my pew; it was now my turn to take of the bread that represented the body of Christ.
This bread and the grape juice would travel through my body, affecting every single cell. Nothing in my body would remain untouched by this bread. Just as nothing in my life could remain untouched by Christ’s forgiveness. His love, His forgiveness permeates every area.
As the bread dissolved in my mouth, my mind marveled at just how magnificent His forgiveness is.
He forgives me. He forgives me, even when maybe I haven’t forgiven myself. It’s mind-boggling. He needs nothing from me. Yet, because His love is so great, He freely forgives me.
However I might try, I can’t accept His forgiveness for some things, and yet disallow it in others. Although that is how the human mind often works, that is not how He works. The practice of communion is to remind us of the spiritual communion we can have with Christ.
He came to forgive all sins.
Period.
We only need to ask. Isn’t that unfathomable?
John 10: 10 tells us, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” NIV
Accepting His forgiveness means forgiving myself. Just like Christ forgives, no matter what.
I shouldn’t allow the enemy to steal, kill, and destroy. I need to allow Christ to give me an abundant life: a life filled with His love, His joy, and His peace. Acknowledging my past, but not reliving it. Accepting the consequences, but praising God for how some way, He uses it all for good. I must allow His forgiveness, love, and peace permeate all of me. Because that is what He came for.
Are you too struggling to forgive yourself for something? Jesus wants us to come, lay our burdens upon Him and allow Him to carry it. When He takes it, we are truly freed. It is then, we will find forgiveness.
Let’s refuse to allow the enemy to carry our burdens back to us on a silver platter. Let’s fix our eyes on our Father, allowing Him to author and perfect our faith. Let’s thank Him for His great forgiveness, and allow our hearts not to burdened by sin’s weigh any more.
Prayer:
Thank You Heavenly Father, that You do love and forgive freely. Thank You for sending Jesus so that I might indeed have an abundant life, here on earth, and in eternity with You. Please reveal to me where I need to forgive myself, and live the life You authored for me to live. Thank You, in Jesus’ name, Amen.