Filed under: Announcements
By Linda Barber
Recently Jack and Luke had a disagreement about a toy they both wanted and Luke, who is learning all too fast to stand up for his “rights”, hit Jack causing crocodile tears. After the required reminder not to hit but to take turns (you know the drill), I told Luke to tell Jack he was sorry, which he did. Jack’s response was, “No, he’s not sorry!” which may have been true in that Luke was sorry to have been caught, but not for the hitting. I thought about how often in life we are sorry for the wrong reason or are unwilling to do what it takes to restore the relationship.
In my Bible study, we are reading John 13 about the Last Supper and are focusing this week on the betrayals of Judas Iscariot and Peter. Judas betrayed Christ by helping the chief priests arrest Him at a time and place when there were no crowds to protect Him. Peter betrayed Him by denying he even knew Him, not once but three times. The Bible tells us both were filled with remorse for what they had done. Judas killed himself but Peter went on to become “the rock upon which the Church was built.” What made the difference?
It seems to me that while Judas was sorry things hadn’t turned out the way he thought they would, he was too self-centered to actually say he was sorry. He didn’t want to be changed, he just wanted to change the outcome. Judas never really believed in God’s mercy and forgiveness. He was remorseful but not truly repentant, so he just gave up. Peter, on the other hand, was sorry for what he had done and sought God’s forgiveness. He was prepared to do whatever God required of him as penance. He wanted to be restored to a right relationship with his Lord, whatever the cost to himself. He didn’t waste any time trying to figure out an easy way to be forgiven, he just threw himself on God’s mercy as soon as he realized what he had done. I am confident that he knew he was forgiven because when the women came back and said the tomb was empty, Peter didn’t hang his head in guilt, he ran straight there to seek his Lord.
God’s plan for dealing with our daily sins is that we confess them, repent (which includes a true desire to change), and accept His forgiveness. Then we are restored to relationship with Him. When we recognize that we have wandered from the Promised Land into the desert and that we have not the strength to change ourselves, we must call out to the Lord and depend on His mercy and compassion to restore us and lead us back to Him.
Lord, I hear You calling to me, and I realize I have strayed far from the path You provided, far from the safety of Your presence. I am sorry and I ask You to give me Your strength to change. Thank You for opening Your arms wide to me. Help me to love and forgive others as You love and have forgiven me. Amen.
