Saturday: Forgiveness and Filling
WEEK 39
SATURDAY
FORGIVENESS AND FILLING
Titus 3:3-7
We come now to look at the last two steps in the Christian answer to the human dilemma, “What should we do?” The first step was a change of mind—“Repent”—and the second was a change of stand before society—“be baptized . . . in the name of Jesus Christ” (Acts 2:38 RSV); own outwardly your allegiance to him. Inwardly and outwardly you’re his. Result? Two things.
First, “for the forgiveness of your sins.” That is the biggest boon that can come to a person, barring none. For forgiveness rights your relationship with God, with your past, with yourself, and with your fellow humans, with life! And you didn’t earn that forgiveness by your penance or good deeds, or by the fact of your own divinity or perfection; you gained it by grace, by unmerited goodness. Result? Your mood is gratitude, not pride of achievement or pride of innate perfection; you’re at the feet of the Crucified Redeemer. Love possesses you, and you want to share that love. Your life is turned outward in loving service to express that gratitude. Psychologically that is sound; it ends with you in the place where you ought to be, outside yourself.
But that inner self, emptied of self, is now ready to receive the Divine Self, the Holy Spirit. Second, “and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” God’s highest gift—Godself, the Holy Spirit—is now freely given. Note “given”—it is not earned or discovered within—it is a gift from on high. Now you do find God within. But the mood is not: How wonderful I am! I’ve discovered my own perfection and the divine within. The mood is: How wonderful God is to give me such a gift! It’s all of grace. Now you’re at the place where “new thought” begins. You’ve been along the road of purification from self and sin by sin and self-surrender. Now God can give with both hands. And can give God’s highest—Godself. Now I possess the Divine—by Grace, and am on the road to perfection—by Grace. Now “I am what I am by God’s grace” (1 Cor 15:10). I skip and dance along life’s way and sing of grace. I’m out of the human dilemma, and how!
O Jesus, you are Grace. I am melted in gratitude. My heart is a fountain of grateful tears. For Grace lifted me, and Grace filled me with God. Amen.
AFFIRMATION FOR THE DAY: Grace relieved me; Grace redeemed me; I shall talk and sing of nothing but Grace.