Friday, April 21, 2023

Nehemiah 9:1-3

Nehemiah 9:1-3 
English Standard Version 

  Often, when you hear people apologize in modern times, they're apologizing if they've offended anyone, which isn't really an apology... it's sort of blaming the people who were offended for getting offended, because it implies that there wouldn't be anything to apologize for if people didn't choose to get offended.
  But sometimes, we mess up.  Sometimes, often, we do the wrong thing.  Even if it's really hard to figure out who was hurt, it can still be the wrong thing.  And when we do, we're called to apologize, without condition.  Every time we sin, we offend God, and we should own that, taking responsibility for our actions and confessing our sin.  It's not easy...  but it's the path forward.  There are no shortcuts, no easy ways out.  When we're wrong, we confess.  God had demonstrated God's willingness to forgive by sending Jesus Christ to die on the cross.  God's love and acceptance are more certain than the rising of the sun.  The question is whether we want to stand in the light of the sun or hide from it out of shame.  One may be easier... but far colder in the long run.

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