I know what it’s like
It can be so tempting to think that just because no one sees us do something, it doesn’t matter – it does! One of the great yardsticks in life is “If my mum/granny/children/best friend could see me doing this, would I still be doing it?” Sometimes I find that a very sobering thought.
Especially so, when this weeks lectionary reading challenge us over justice, how we keep the commandments in our own lives, and the fact that God sees everything that we do. If it’s a sobering thought of what someone we love and respect would think of us if they saw what we were doing, how much more so of God? We should be quivering in our boots – and rightly so, for God is an awesome, holy God, who has standards. And yet there is hope, and mercy, and love, if we come to God, acknowledging what we have done, and seeking his help to turn things around.
Contrary to the belief of my children, I was once younger than I am now! They like to tell me that ‘things are different these days!’, and they are right, but some things never change, and though the challenges may be different, the issues behind them remain the same.
The major challenges of life continue to be justice, and doing good – not evil. How that is played out in each of our lives may be different, but the fundamentals are the same.
Amos highlights these issues, and pulls no punches in telling the people where they are getting it wrong, but doesn’t seem convinced that even that will be enough to save them. Hebrews takes us a step further and assures of the mercy and grace of God if we get things wrong and come to God. Yes God sees what we do. Yes it must anger and frustrate him when we chose to do the wrong thing. But God is not without understanding of what it is like to be a human. Jesus walked on earth. He was a human, and faced all the challenges and issues that we face. He understands our weaknesses, he has “Been there, done that”. Though he may seem remote from our situation, he is anything but. Whatever we have done, God still welcomes us and accepts us if we come to him.
The problem the rich young man had, was not what he had or hadn’t done, but his inability to let go of it. He wanted to hold on to the one thing that was dragging him down and stopping him living in God’s ways. If we bring it to him, God receives us and relieves us of our burdens, freeing us to focus on the important things in life.
The language of mercy and grace is similar to that of a courtroom. An offence has been committed, but compassion is shown and pardon is given. God gives us freely his love and forgiveness, he welcomes us with open arms, he judges us – but pardons us. By Jesus’ sinlessness in those situations, our penalty is paid.
So yes, we need to live well. To walk justly, live in the right path, serve others, and walk in God’s ways. We must be ready to give an account of ourselves. But when we realise we’ve got it wrong, we can come to God, ask his forgiveness and receive his mercy, his love and his forgiveness – that we might start afresh in his ways.
Pam's Perambulation 