Rule 51

It is my experience that generally people either over use or under use the words "I'm sorry."

In my youth, I was a compulsive "I'm sorry"-er. Now, as an adult, I have recognized that authentic, deep sorrow plagues my soul when I find that from my action or inaction, I have wronged another. I am now embarrassed to admit that there were years of my life where I was unable or unwilling to admit that I was wrong.

I am admitting it now. I have been miserably wrong and careless with relationships. I am deeply grieved that this is true, but it is.

Leroy Jethro Gibbs would say that apologizing is a sign of weakness (rule 6). However, even more true than that is rule 51: "Sometimes you're wrong!" (For you non-NCIS fans, you can find Gibbs rules with a quick internet search.)

There are two extreme reactions that happen when one person offends another: attack and hide. Neither of them are loving and neither of them invite God's transformation. Having deep sorrow for being the offender is the first step, the next few steps include confession, and an attempt at making amends (in the spirit of Romans 12:18 "as far as it depends on me"), and then, it requires new thoughts and a new heart. All of this is part of learning the kind of love that Jesus has for all of us. How good it is that we have a teacher (Jesus....not Gibbs!) who is always more willing to teach, lead, and infill us than we can fathom

It is not a shock that Jesus includes this essential request as part of the prayer that he taught his disciples: "forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us."

We need that prayer and the repeated reminder that resources for forgiveness come from Jesus.

God's Word is the Best Meal in Town

A couple of weeks ago, there were several e-mails about free food that appeared in my inbox. I was in Tennessee when I received these messages so I couldn't show up to get this free food. However, I remember thinking "who would pass up on the opportunity for free food?" A few days later, my family of origin gathered around the card tables in my mom's 20' x 20' double-wide mobile home living room, this thought came back to me. "This is some really excellent food...better than any restaurant and it is FREE....and I didn't even have to cook it. WOW!!!"

The thought occurred to me again as I could not sleep this morning around 4 a.m. The Hebrew prophet Isaiah's words were wrestling in my mind. God's word is like that. It has a way of sticking with you like good food. Hours after you digest it, you remember it and you can even re-experience it moving you to do something different or to form a new intention. One intention that I have for this new year is to ABIDE in God's word as His word is ever so faithful to abide in me. (Here is a great song-video, the Sower's Song, by Andrew Peterson)

These are the words from Isaiah 55 that were wrestling in me this morning:

v. 1-3
Come, everyone who thirsts,
come to the waters;
and he who has no money, 
come, buy wine and milk
without money and without price.

Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
and your labor for that which does not satisfy?
Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good,
and delight yourselves in rich food.
Incline your ear, and come to me;
hear, that your soul may live;
and I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
my steadfast, sure love for David.

v. 10-13
For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
For you shall go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and the hills before you
shall break forth into singing,
and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress;
instead of the brier shall comp up the myrtle;
and it shall make a name for the Lord,
an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

The prophet calls the Hebrew people to take, eat, digest and fully experience the transforming power of God's word. There is such power in God's word. This morning as I was listening to God's word going out into our community, I added my prayers to it. Our annual Breathitt County Bible Reading Marathon features a Genesis-Revelation non-stop for four days public reading. Jackson Community Church opens their facilities and the speaker outdoors broadcasts it right downtown, diagonally across from the county court house. People from around 80 area churches join together to make this happen and the cooperation and cordiality that it has fostered is simply outstanding. Folks have included me as one of their own even though I do not have a super cool accent and read from a different translation of scripture.

While I have been there a lot of early morning hours over the last few days, I have been adding my prayers to the words of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Jesus, and Paul. I pray that all who have the seed of the Word sown in them would be receptive. I pray that the Holy Spirit would till the soil of hearts and that people might be hungry for real life change. We have been given the best, most nutritious food, and it truly satisfies! I'm hungry for it....are you?