Leawood, Kansas, United States - The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection Daily Guide grow. pray. study. for Thursday, 10 July 2014 "Forgive us our trespasses. . ."

Leawood, Kansas, United States - The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection Daily Guide grow. pray. study. for Thursday, 10 July 2014 "Forgive us our trespasses. . ."
Daily Scripture: Luke 7: Anointing His Feet
36-39 One of the Pharisees asked him over for a meal. He went to the Pharisee’s house and sat down at the dinner table. Just then a woman of the village, the town harlot, having learned that Jesus was a guest in the home of the Pharisee, came with a bottle of very expensive perfume and stood at his feet, weeping, raining tears on his feet. Letting down her hair, she dried his feet, kissed them, and anointed them with the perfume. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man was the prophet I thought he was, he would have known what kind of woman this is who is falling all over him.”
40 Jesus said to him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”
“Oh? Tell me.”
41-42 “Two men were in debt to a banker. One owed five hundred silver pieces, the other fifty. Neither of them could pay up, and so the banker canceled both debts. Which of the two would be more grateful?”
43-47 Simon answered, “I suppose the one who was forgiven the most.”
“That’s right,” said Jesus. Then turning to the woman, but speaking to Simon, he said, “Do you see this woman? I came to your home; you provided no water for my feet, but she rained tears on my feet and dried them with her hair. You gave me no greeting, but from the time I arrived she hasn’t quit kissing my feet. You provided nothing for freshening up, but she has soothed my feet with perfume. Impressive, isn’t it? She was forgiven many, many sins, and so she is very, very grateful. If the forgiveness is minimal, the gratitude is minimal.”
48 Then he spoke to her: “I forgive your sins.”
49 That set the dinner guests talking behind his back: “Who does he think he is, forgiving sins!”
50 He ignored them and said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”
Colossians 3:12-14 So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.
Reflection Questions:
Jesus told people that God forgave them, that they could really find a fresh start in life. Sadly, that outraged the religious leaders of his day. For Jesus, forgiveness was a fundamental Kingdom reality. If God did not forgive, no fallible human could have hope. But Jesus also knew that it's really not credible to claim God's forgiveness for ourselves if we aren't willing to forgive others.
In what ways did you first learn about God? As you learned, did you see God as mainly angry about sins, as indifferent and indulgent in excusing sins, or as compassionate and forgiving when we miss the mark? What difference do you see between "excusing" and "forgiving"? What difference does it make, in our relationship with God and in our relationships with each other, that God forgives sins rather than excusing them?
Is there anyone in your life you need to forgive (maybe even someone who has died, or whom you have no idea how to contact)? How can you open yourself to God's forgiveness in ways that will move you toward forgiving the person(s) who wronged you? In what ways can that bring you inward healing, as well as (if you can contact the person) outward relational healing?
Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I'm like the person you told the story about who owed a debt he couldn't possibly pay. Thank you for offering me forgiveness. Keep me forgiven and forgiving. Amen.
Insight from Kelley O’Conor
Kelley O’Conor serves as a summer intern in the Domestic/Local Missions Department at Resurrection. She will be a junior this fall at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington (UNCW). She is studying Biology and Psychology, and aspires to go to PA (Physician Assistant) School to obtain her PA degree! Her dream is to become a PA, and serve on international medical mission trips in the future.
I am 20 years old. When I take a step back, I realize I have not lived very long. But within these 20 years, I have committed countless mistakes, countless sins, and countless wrongs. Every day there is at least one thing I know I could have done better, whether it be the way I worded a phrase, an action I may have taken wrongly, or perhaps even the absence of a needed action. Every day I am wholly imperfect, and every day I encounter my own weaknesses.
At the point of my sophomore year in college, I could hardly look at myself without feeling shame; I had made so many huge mistakes. I thought, how could anyone ever see past them? How could anyone possibly see my heart for what it was, for what it wants to be? It was around this time that I desperately needed and experienced the light of Christ entering my life. I closed my eyes and said, “Take me Lord. Take me and do with me what you will. Make me new, please, make me beautiful to you again.” When I opened my eyes, an overwhelming warmth came over my heart. I felt so at peace that I began to cry. It was as if Christ’s arms were physically wrapped around me in that moment, and never before had I felt closer to Him. Never before had I felt so loved, so beautiful.
In the moment that I asked God to cleanse me of all my faults and forgive my human flaws, I was free. My chains had been shattered into nothing, and all I could feel was pure happiness. Now, walking with Christ day by day, I continue to feel His love, His peace and His warm embrace. I still make endless, daily mistakes, and I know I forever will–I am human, and therefore I am imperfect. But knowing that Christ will always see me as beautiful, and will always erase my guilt and pain because of His enduring love makes me want nothing more than to serve Him forever. He saw me as beautiful when I had never felt so ugly to Him in my life. He forgave me when I couldn’t even forgive myself. And because of His unconditional love, understanding, and forgiveness, I now strive to do unto others exactly as He has done for me. We are all human, and we are all imperfect. We will all make mistakes and we will all hurt ourselves as well as others. But because we have Jesus Christ, we are all beautiful, and to me that is the most amazing thing in the world.
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