Today’s Word from Pastor Jim…
There is one gift this Christmas that only you can give. You will not find it on Amazon or at Costco. It is too precious to rest underneath a Christmas tree. It is timeless and critical to human life and human relationships. There is one gift this Christmas that only you can give; it is affordable to all, it will not expire or spoil, and it cannot be lost or forgotten. There is one gift this Christmas that only you can give; it is graceful and grace-filled, it is lifegiving to the one who gives and the one who receives. There is one gift this Christmas that only you can give. It is the one gift given freely to you by God, that in turn God commands you to pass on to others.
There is one gift this Christmas that only you can give, and that gift is forgiveness. I woke up this morning with a heavy heart. I am painfully aware that I have offended or mistreated others; with intention or neglect or laziness, I have acted like the fallen human that I am. The stress of the pandemic, or the reality of my own insecurities, has led me to words or actions for which I seek forgiveness. I woke up this morning with a heavy heart, because I can’t free myself from the chains of brokenness.
There is one gift this Christmas that only you can give. Start by cutting yourself a break, and gracefully forgiving the one who looks back at you in the mirror. You are human, you have human imperfections. Welcome to the human race. It is a cold, dark world right now, don’t add to it by being too hard on yourself. But the still sweeter gift must come from outside of yourself; it will open the door to peace and reconciliation. The sweeter gift comes when your jailkeeper turns the key and releases you from the chains that bind you. Forgiveness. Absent of forgiveness, given and received, we are destined to wake up many mornings with a heavy heart.
There is one gift this Christmas that only you can give; that gift is forgiveness. Life is too short to hold on to the transgressions of others.
“Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who have sinned against us.”
Give the gift that you can afford. Give the gift that you cannot afford to withhold.
Merry Christmas My Friends!
One day closer,
Pastor Jim
