"The secret to being kind and tenderhearted and forgiving is being amazed that you are a forgiven sinner."-John Piper
How often do we take in the wonder of being forgiven? We can't earn it. We don't deserve it. It is a gift. The Master of the Universe cannot tolerate our sin. He is repelled by it. Still, He longs to have a relationship with us.
God was willing to take on human skin to completely understand being human... with a heartbeat, with temptations... clothed with free will. Jesus perfectly wore our humanity. In doing so, became our sin offering.
Somewhere between Wednesday and Thursday, Judas struck a deal with the church leaders that led to Jesus being arrested. Jesus did not see his betrayal as an unforgivable. Crazy, right? But, Judas did not humble himself and ask for forgiveness. I am sure there are many theological opinions and debate surrounding Judas's sin. Did he harden his heart? The scriptures say, 'Then Satan entered into Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve disciples."
Judas did what he did... "the devil made me do it" was his legitimate excuse". I cannot imagine his despair. He betrayed Jesus, but before that time, he was one of the twelve. He was close to Jesus.
"Only fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good!" -Psalm 14:1
"For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes— so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.’" - Matthew 13:15
We can keep our hearts tender and forgiving. We must forgive as we have been forgiven.
Today, I am grateful for the beauty in forgiveness.
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