From The Pastor's Desk - June 2016
The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. Psalm 103
I noticed the lilacs are starting to bloom today.
They are one of my wife’s favorite flowers. I try to cut some and put them on the table to brighten her day. But lilacs bushes have also been a pain in the neck over the years. They distort and confuse my property line at the lake and sometimes obstruct our view. They can become weak and I have spent hours in the spring trimming them from winter damage. When we pull out of our driveway, they make it hard to see if traffic is coming. And after all, they only blossom for a short time in the spring and then they look like big cow bushes!
But I remember them as the fragrant flowers my wife likes, and it makes me smile.
We have a choice in life to focus on everything that’s wrong, or enjoy the blessings and wonders of life.
We need to focus on the good in people as well. I understand we need to be careful not to forget or excuse abuse or oppression so that we don’t let it repeat. But we shouldn’t live in the brokenness of the past. We can let grudges and resentment destroy every day’s happiness and possibilities. We need to live as people of grace. Christians know that we are far from perfect. We are made from dust with feet of clay. All of us have done things we regret and we need to ask for forgiveness for the pain we have caused others. And especially because we know our faults, we need to forgive people who are trying to make their lives a blessing instead of a curse. People who regret their sins and are living into grace. God forgives us, forgets our sins, and He can make our lives a fragrant blessing.
I want people to remember the best of me, not the worst….don’t all of us?
See you in the grace center we call church,
Pastor Tom