Being a member of the Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod has instilled in me a passion, a zeal, even, for the truth. I have long held (and still hold), that Scripture is the only rule and standard for life and theology, and that it's truth rings clearly for all things in life. But for a long time, I somehow missed an elemental part of Scripture. It's almost as if I read the text, yet skipped the title. For so long, I missed the theme of the Bible, and the one message that Jesus seemed to be screaming at me! Love.
Now, don't get me wrong, I refuse to compromise the truth to make other people happy or to satisfy their itching ears. But I've realized why I can't understand how to love these people. I haven't fully understood forgiveness. I don't remember where the verse comes from but it goes like this: "He who is forgiven little, love's little." You see, I haven't completely come to terms with the fact that Christ has earned my salvation. I haven't come to terms with the fact that God could forgive me! Someone who continues to sin against him day by day in ways that those around me don't see or hear.
But over and over again, I see God's grace in my life. My health (though I might not be in perfect health at the moment, it's nothing to gripe about!), my family, my amazing friends, my loving and incredibly patient girlfriend, and my life itself is a testament to the grace that God gives us each and every day, whether we choose to believe it or not. Most of all, I have a growing joy within me. A future certainty of heaven (a place I long for more and more with everyday of my life.... I've got a long way to go...) is instilling within me a love for people that I can have no part of. Truly, God's Spirit is working in me toward a true and perfect holiness.
Help me to remember that the sin I commit now is of no significance, and that my sins have been forgiven. Even those that I commit after my salvation.
Thank You, Lord.
No greater love is this, that a man would lay down his life for his brother. -Jesus
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