“So then, if you are presenting a gift before the altar and suddenly you remember a quarrel you have with a fellow believer, leave your gift there in front of the altar and go at once to apologize to the one who is offended. Then, after you have reconciled, come to the altar and present your gift.” Matthew 5:23-24 Passion Translation
I had an entire day planned out. A day of writing, where I would sit down and write the last chapter and a half of this book. I was so pumped, juiced up with energy to write. In all honesty I’ve been dumbfounded these past few weeks that God has gifted me the ability to complete a second book. And not only complete it, but finish with joy, closer to God than when I began. This could be the day that I push through and actually complete the writing aspect of the book.
But as God so often does, my day was interrupted and the oh-so-tender voice of God began to speak words of wisdom deep within my heart. He was tenderly uncovering a part of my life that I had left untouched for a while. Like a sleeping child, snuggled under their covers, it lay. While I set my mind to accomplishing mommy tasks around the house—for a few moments, or hours, I simply forget that it was there.
Then the appointed time came where inevitably the child awakes. Once again I am made aware that indeed that thing is still alive, and that it is my job to tenderly take care of it. I have to acknowledge it once again.
When God reached in today and uncovered this area, it wasn’t a reprimand for not taking care of it, but rather an invitation to enter into a new level of intimacy with Him. It wasn’t a requirement, it was a reminder. A chance to do the right thing, regardless of past intentions. To bridge the gap and care for things that melt the heart of God.
So the child awoke, and this time, instead of ignoring the cries in the crib, eagerly hoping to get one more thing accomplished before I had to deal with that thing, I readily opened the door, followed Jesus in and embraced the child willingly.
The child is named Repentance. This wasn’t a chapter that I intended to write. I had it in my initial brainstorming process of writing, but I quickly scrapped it ... until today. Today I knew it was needed. Today I knew it was essential. Because all of us will fail and all of us will need to repent. We are all human, and to be such means embracing imperfection.
"And embracing our need to allow God to cultivate in us the courage to repent."
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Photo Credit: Quincy Anderson, pexels.com
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