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'Christ in You...'
by Dale Krebbs
If there could be only two words for our prayers, it would be "forgive me"...if we can think of nothing else to pray about (which in itself needs to be forgiven...), we can all genuinely ask Him to forgive us. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God
This is because all have sinned, and have missed the mark of perfection that is in Jesus Christ only.
There is a love song from some years ago, with lyrics that would be almost unbelievable in our world today. The chorus begins with: "Please! Please!! (emphasis twice) forgive me!...for all the wrong that I done!.." The remainder of the song explains in some details about the wrong, but primarily the song repeats over and over the pleading for forgiveness.
A very emotional and moving song indeed!
If our heart is right, and our request is sincere, Jesus will forgive us before we can ask twice. Jesus is anxious to forgive before we even begin. But how many of us sincerely and honestly confess our sins, flaws, and shortcomings to the One who loves us beyond our capacity to comprehend!
On the cross, He saw you and me, and countless others who He knew would eventually believe in Him, and what He was doing for us. Some may escape the loving obligation to ask forgiveness with the thought that since He knows already that we have repented, what's the need to confess it.
They end up having no genuine relationship with the Savior they assume they will be with for eternity. We can presume upon God's grace, which in itself is another sin...that also needs to be confessed and repented of. For all of us come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).
If we truly love Jesus Christ for all He has done, how can we not thank Him in prayer? After all He loved us before the world began!
"[For it is He] Who delivered and saved us and called us with a calling in itself holy and leading to holiness [to a life of consecration, a vocation of holiness]; [He did it] not because of anything of merit that we have done, but because of and to further His own purpose and grace (unmerited favor) which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began [eternal ages ago] - 2 Timothy 1:8
Peter was tested in his love for Jesus. He asked three times if Peter loved Him. Each time Peter affirmed that He did. It is certainly proper in prayer to affirm that we love Jesus. We affirm this perhaps most of all when we lay everything in our lives before Him in prayer, and ask forgiveness of all our mistakes, shortcomings, and sins - even if we are not aware of the sin in our lives. He knows it all, but we may not know all that we need to talk to Him about.
So when we pray, may we not presume that the Father and Jesus already know our heart, so there is no need to talk to them about it. After all...relationship is a two way street.
He loved us enough to die and sacrifice for us. May we all be open about what He already knows about our lives. And ask forgiveness...even of those sins we may not yet be aware of. Above all He desires a relationship of love with you. Asking forgiveness is the seal of that love, even though you have already been forgiven.
"And when they came to the place which is called The Skull [Latin: Calvary; Hebrew: Golgotha], there they crucified Him, and [along with] the criminals, one on the right and one on the left. And Jesus prayed, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. And they divided His garments and distributed them by casting lots for them".- Luke 23:33-34
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