"Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven.." (Psalm 32:1)
This is us, and we are even happier because we no longer have to sacrifice bulls and goats and sheep and sprinkle their blood on the altar. Whew! Jesus has made the one and only-needed sacrifice that we might be freed from sin.
Do you ever wonder how that works? I mean, Jesus made the sacrifice already, but there's still sin, so how does Jesus' sacrifice save us from sin?
"I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go." (Psalm 32:8) First of all, we are freed from living in sin by being shown and being given a new way to live---the Jesus Way. And yet, we still make mistakes; we are still disobedient; we still sin.
Jesus' life also shows us that through Jesus the barriers between God and man have been thrown down---knowing Jesus means knowing, and having access to, God's forgiveness. We are born into this new life in Baptism (washed clean), and through forgiveness, we are able to be washed clean over and over. Knowing Jesus and following Jesus changes one's life. The more we turn to and walk in the steps of Jesus, the more we are transformed, made holy, set free.
The power of Jesus to change our lives often scares us----sometimes we even run from it..."then they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighborhood (Mark 5:17) But we need not be afraid. The love and healing power of Jesus will work in our lives to transform us to our true selves----sons and daughters of God, brothers and sisters of Christ. So, we too can go home to our friends, and tell them how much the Lord has done for us.
No comments:
Post a Comment