"Oh No!" I sinned, but I didn't intend to!

Part of my reading for this morning was Hebrews 9. It's a lengthy chapter and - to be honest - I fell asleep four or five times while reading it. Needless to say, it is NOT an exciting chapter. It compares the 'Old Covenant' to the 'New Covenant', comparing their similarities and noting their significant differences. Don't get me wrong, it's essential truth and vital for the established believer to understand; however, it is not action-oriented or memorable.

HOWEVER, there is always something new to be observed or learned - right?

While talking about the 'Old Covenant' the author writes:

But only the high priest could go into the second room, and he did that only once a year. He could never enter the inner room without taking blood with him, which he offered to God for himself and for sins the people did without knowing they did them. 

[All quotes from the NCV unless otherwise noted.]

Did you catch it?

The high priest entered the inner room [the Holy Place] only once a year and when he did so, he offered God blood to cover his own sins and the sins the people did without knowing they did them.

God had covered all of the bases - even in the 'Old Covenant'.  

God knew the weaknesses of humanity. He knew that people would end up sinning inadvertently. He knew that they would mindlessly, without thinking, unintentionally, while distracted and on automatic-pilot - say, do or think things that would be displeasing to Him!

So - once-a-year, God provided for a way to cover sins that fell in this category! Imagine the general feeling of relief felt by the people on the Day of Atonement! A clean slate!

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But, what about those of us who live under the 'New Covenant'?

Have similar provisions been made for our unintentional, mindless sins?

There is much that could be said on this topic, but let me try to distill some basic truth.

1. First and foremost is the reality of the work of the Holy Spirit in the believer's life!

In John 16:8-11, Jesus teaches that part of the Holy Spirit’s role is to convict the world of sin.

I Corinthians 3:16 says, “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” [NKJV].  Therefore, believers have the Holy Spirit living within them!

So, when we sin inadvertently, the Holy Spirit – living within us – is able to immediately make us aware that we have violated God’s holy ways.

That’s when we fall back on the believer’s bar of soap:

I John 1:9 [NIV]

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins

and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

This describes what many Christ-followers have come to refer to as ‘walking with God’! He is always with us – no matter where we are! His grace is available to us 24/7!!!!!!

But, theologians believe there is even more…

2.    They use a theological term to describe it – Prevenient Grace!

It has been put forward by many noted theologians, but has become a hallmark of Wesleyan theology. Simply put, it is considered the grace that goes before!

I have friends that would be far abler to describe this in deep terms, but I’ll try to give a simple explanation:

It represents a firm belief in the prevalence of God’s grace!  Consequently, His grace is so persistent that it even goes before us!

One example would be the discussion about the age of accountability. At what point does a child become responsible for his/her sin? And, if there is an age when they do become accountable for their sin, what about the sins they commit before they reach that age?

I don’t care to discuss these questions here, but simply use them to give us a basis for understanding prevenient grace!

The grace that goes before [prevenient grace] is a way of understanding how God can accept a child who sins without knowing fully or understanding fully that it is displeasing to God!  It is a manifold expression of the goodness and kindness of God! 

If we can accept this plausible situation, then it is also a small step for us to believe that God’s marvelous grace also may go before us in cases of inadvertent sins! 

These might be represented as times when our guard is down, when we’re overly weary and depleted, when we’re depressed, when we’re remarkably stressed, etc., etc..

Is it so hard to believe that our amazing God would care so much for us that He would create a special provision for those who follow Him closely and seriously?

Is it a stretch to think that – out of His great love for us – He would create a caveat of grace that would go before us to secure our commitment of faithfulness to Him?

The fourth verse of the most famous hymn of all time [Amazing Grace] seems to speak of this kind of grace:

The Lord has promised good to me,
his word my hope secures;
he will my shield and portion be
as long as life endures.

It seems perfectly fitting to me that the depths of His measureless grace are so designed to go ahead of His most committed and faithful followers to protect them from the effects of incidental sins.

If He made provision for them in His ‘Old Covenant’, wouldn’t He likewise make provision for them in His ‘New Covenant’?

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Kind and Gracious God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit,

Thank You for manifesting Your amazing, marvelous, generous, free, abundant, prevenient, wonderful, matchless grace!

How like You to make such a provision for us!

We don’t want to take advantage of Your grace!

However, we are SO THANKFUL for it!

Where would we be without it?

We don’t deserve it – we’re well aware of that!

It is clearly a gift You provide for us as a result of Your benevolence and love!

Our part seems to be two-fold:

First to be grateful for Your provision!

Second, to not take unhealthy advantage of Your provision!

Help us in both of these areas, Gracious God –

That we might honor Your purposes and enter into Your eternal rewards!

AMEN.

ESAU'S UNKNOWN HEALING

Esau and Jacob were the twin sons of Isaac and Rebekah.  

Rebekah was unable to have children for twenty years.  Finally, Isaac prayed for her and she conceived.  [Genesis 25:22-27  -  All quotes from The Voice Bible unless otherwise noted.]

But the children she carried struggled and fought with each other until, in great pain, she exclaimed, “What is going on? Why is this happening to me?” In frustration she inquired of the Eternal One why this civil war was occurring inside of her.

Eternal One (to Rebekah): Two nations are growing inside of your womb,
and the two peoples will be divided in the future.
One will be stronger than the other,
and the older will serve the younger.

When it was time for Rebekah to give birth, she saw that she was carrying twins. The first came out red—his entire body like a hairy blanket—so they named him Esau. His brother followed with his hand clutching Esau’s heel, so they named him Jacob. Isaac was 60 years old when Rebekah gave birth to the twins.

When the boys grew up, they could not have been more different.

As the boys grew and developed, Isaac developed a special love for Esau, while Rebekah grew especially close to Jacob.  

Eventually, Jacob baited Esau and got him to trade his birthright for a bowl of stew.  Later, when Isaac was growing old and wanted to pass his blessing on to his firstborn son, Esau, Jacob and Rebekah conspired for him to steal Esau's blessing through deceit.  [See Genesis 27]

Esau hated Jacob with a fury, because his brother now carried the blessing his father meant for him.

Esau (to himself): The days of mourning for my father are approaching. When he has died, I will kill my brother, Jacob.  [v.41]

Rebekah learned of Esau's plans and persuaded Isaac to send Jacob to her homeland to find a wife.

Jacob spent many years in Paddan-aram where he worked for his uncle Laban and married Leah and Rachel.  Through his two wives and their servants - Bilhah and Zilpah - Jacob gained twelve sons [who eventually became the twelve tribes of Israel].  

After many years, God instructed Jacob to return to his homeland.  After an encounter with his uncle Laban, he began the long journey with his family, servants, and large flocks and herds.  As he got close to Canaan he was told that Esau was coming to meet him with 400 men.  Jacob was terrified!  He separated his family in groups along with his flocks and herds.  He sent an abundance of flocks and herds ahead of him as gifts for Esau to appease his anger.

Then, after laying his plans and securing his family as best he could, Jacob wrestled with a messenger from God all night.  The end result of this encounter was that his name was changed to Israel!

Finally, when he encountered his brother, 

 "Esau ran to meet him.  He embraced Jacob, kissed his neck, and they both cried."  [33:4]

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Well, that's a surprise ending!  What happened to the anger that Esau had felt toward his conniving brother?  What happened to his plan to kill Jacob?  

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We don't have an answer to that question!  The Bible gives no explanation for the change that Esau apparently experienced!  Somehow, he had forgiven his brother, Jacob, and was able to genuinely welcome him back to their homeland.  After much persuading from Jacob, Esau did finally accept the VERY GENEROUS gifts that Jacob presented to him:

• 200 female goats
• 20 male goats
• 200 female sheep
• 20 rams
• 30 milk camels and their colts
• 40 cows and 10 bulls
• 20 female donkeys and 10 male donkeys

Although the presentation of these gifts may have impacted Esau, the narrative leaves us with the impression that somehow God had brought peace to Esau's heart long before this moment.

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Does time heal?

There's little doubt that time does allow us to adapt to unwelcome circumstances.  With the passing of time, we gain perspective and realize that we can move forward in spite of our anger, hurt, loss, pain!  

Esau wanted desperately to please his parents!  But when he married two Hittite women, he brought a lot of pain to Isaac and Rebekah [27:46].  This was part of Rebekah's reasoning for sending Jacob away to find a wife!  

Now Esau saw that his father, Isaac, had again blessed Jacob and sent him to Paddan-aram to find a wife there, instructing him not to marry any of the Canaanite women. He learned, too, that Jacob had gone there just as his father and mother both wanted. So, realizing his father did not like his Canaanite wives, Esau went to see Ishmael and took Mahalath, the daughter of Ishmael (Abraham’s other son) and the sister of Nebaioth, to be his wife in addition to the two others.  [28:6-9]

Esau wanted to please his parents, but everything he did seemed to disappoint them.  He surely must have felt like a failure!  Yet somehow, through the many years that Jacob spent in Paddan-aram, Esau came to peace with the situation.  

Instead of holding on to hatred and bitterness, he seems to have found a way to be satisfied with the life that God had given him.  He welcomed his brother back with a hug, a kiss and tears of joy.  

The only other time that Esau shows up in the biblical story is when he and Jacob meet to bury Isaac together [Genesis 35:28-29].  

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Lord of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Esau,

Esau's sub-story reveals that even when we're not the main character in the plot, You still keep Your eye on us and help us to resolve the conflicts and dilemmas of our lives!  You are so awesome, kind and generous!  Thank You for this sub-plot of Esau's.  Thank You that his life didn't end in bitterness and hatred!  Thank You that You found a way to bring peace to his heart and life!

There are many in our world today who are like Esau!  They feel like they're the sub-plot in their family!  They feel neglected.  They realize that they didn't get their parent's blessing.  They're angry and distracted by plans to get even.  They're jealous.  They need You, Gracious God!  They need to hear Esau's story!  They need to realize that Your resources are unlimited and Your grace is readily available!  

Find them, Lord, and heal them.  Remove the bitterness and replace it with satisfaction and peace and joy!  You can do this!  You've done it for many - including Esau!  Praise Your Holy Name.

Amen

A CREATIVE WAY TO MAKE GOD ANGRY

It's an odd thought, huh?  

I noticed something this morning while reading Hosea 8.  Here's what I read:   [All references are from The Voice Bible unless otherwise noted.]

"Because Ephraim [Israel] paid tribute money to other nations [Assyria] instead of depending on Me, I'm going to gather them up and send them into exile..."  [v.10]   

Three verses later we see just how angry and disappointed God is:

"I am not pleased with them.  I'll remember their guilt and punish their sins:  they'll return to slavery in Egypt."  [v.13]

Hmmmmm...God wants us to depend on Him!  

When we turn to other sources for deliverance and/or protection, He is not pleased with us!   He is so not pleased with us that He punishes us?  

So much for the age of independence! 

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So, do you depend on God?

Do you turn to Him first when things are falling apart?

Have you turned your financial distress over to God?  Seriously!

How about the problems you're having with your teens?  

Or, your dissatisfaction with life?

Or, your chronic depression?

Maybe you should turn to God with your addiction issues?

Perhaps your marriage is disappointing - or failing.  Have you considered depending on God?

Maybe your child is dealing with gender confusion.  Do you suppose the God who made him/her might be able to help?

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Ever kind and ever-loving God,

Forgive us for being so independent - it seems to be the American way.  By my persistence in turning in every direction but Yours for help, I've revealed my lack of faith in You!  

Can You forgive me?  Will You forgive me?  I'm truly so sorry!  

Because of my stubbornness, my situation has become worse!  I am more desperate now than I was before!  But You've got my attention!  I realize that You've been watching all along - how embarrassing for me!  You've been standing ready to release Your resources, wisdom, peace, grace, direction, and help all along and I've been obstinately ignoring You!  I weep with regret!  

I open myself to You and Your endless creativity and resources, Lord!  That's right - I want You to be the Lord of my life!  I trust You!  I yield to Your ways!  I lean on You - right now!  

By Your unfathomable grace - please come to my aid!  And help me to NEVER be stubborn again!

For the Kingdom's sake, Amen

FORGIVEN!

 The last section of Luke 7 shattered me this morning! 

A Pharisee asked Jesus to his house for dinner.  [Was this a genuinely inquiring Pharisee, or was this just another trap?] 

I don’t fully understand what happened next except to realize that it was a different culture with different settings and practices.  Maybe the meal was in an open courtyard?  Whatever the case, it doesn’t seem to be presented as unusual for this Middle East culture at that time.

A prostitute enters the scene where Jesus and the Pharisee are eating.  She stands over Jesus weeping – her tears wetting His feet.  She kneels and dries His feet with her long hair, then anoints His feet with an expensive perfume (a necessity for her trade). 

The Pharisee thought to himself that if Jesus was a true prophet, He would realize what kind of woman this was.

Immediately, Jesus (knowing what the man had been thinking) told him a story of two men that couldn’t pay their debts;  one, a large debt, the other a small one.  The banker forgave them both and vanquished their debts.  Then, Jesus asked the Pharisee which would be more grateful.  He answered correctly:  the one who was forgiven the most.  [v.43]

Then Jesus observed that the Pharisee had not washed Jesus’ feet upon His arrival (a common tradition in that culture).  He had also not greeted Jesus properly nor had he provided Jesus anything for freshening up.  Yet this woman had washed Jesus’ feet with her tears and kept kissing his feet (a sign of humility) and had anointed his feet with perfume!  Then, Jesus added:  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.  [vs.44,47]

Then [Jesus] spoke to her:  “I forgive your sins.”  [v.48]

(Now we discover that there were other guests at the table) These dinner guests began murmuring:  Who does He think He is, forgiving sins?  [v.49]

Jesus [being aware of it all] ignored them and said to the woman, Your faith has saved you.  Go in peace.  [v.50]

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Jesus’ focus here was so intense!  The prostitute had His full attention!  He saw her heart!  It was vulnerable.  She had suffered abuse – unspeakable abuse!  He saw her pain!  He saw her sorrow!  He felt her remorse.  He was full of compassion!  Thus, His act of forgiveness! 

Don’t get distracted by the guests or the Pharisee here!  Imagine what she felt!  SHE WAS FORGIVEN!  It was as though she had never sinned!  Her slate was washed clean!  Her guilt was REMOVED!  She was given a fresh start! 

Have you ever felt as light as a feather?  As giddy as a teenager?  As joyful as someone who just won the lottery?  As relieved as someone who just completed a major task?  I think she felt all of this!  I’m surprised she didn’t wrap her arms around Him and kiss Him!  Ha ha ha, wouldn’t THAT have stirred up the guests?  HE – FORGAVE – HER – OF – HER – MANY – MANY – SINS!  Her previous life was now in the rearview mirror!  Better yet, it was buried in the deepest part of the sea!  FORGIVEN AND FORGOTTEN!

And, dear Facebook friend, that’s the way it is for all of us who have come before Him in a similar fashion!  Don’t go through this day without celebrating your forgiveness! 

A HORRIBLE CHAPTER

When I was leading churches I always encouraged new believers to start reading the New Testament.  I wanted them to meet Jesus as soon as possible and learn of Him and from Him.  Starting with the Old Testament raises so many questions for someone who is not yet grounded in their faith.  It's best to encounter the Old Testament along with a guide who can unpack many of the difficult passages.  

Genesis 34 is a difficult passage.  

Jacob and Rachel have arrived back in his original homeland.  We know that Jacob has twelve sons and one daughter, Dinah.  It is likely that at least some of them are young adults at this point.  The culture of that day was made up of family systems that lived together and supported one another.  [Keep in mind, these events took place 3700 years ago.]

Jacob had settled near Shechem in Canaan and purchased land from the sons of Hamor the Hivite.  

The chapter begins:

Now Dinah, the daughter Leah had borne to Jacob, went out to visit the women of the land.  When Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, the ruler of that area, saw her, he took her and violated her.  His heart was drawn to Dinah daughter of Jacob, and he loved the girl and spoke tenderly to her.  And Shechem said to his father Hamor, "Get me this girl as my wife."  [vs.1-4]

Jacob quickly hears that his daughter has been defiled.  When his sons came in from the fileds and heard what had happened they were filled with grief and fury.  

Hamor came to visit Jacob and asked him to allow Dinah to marry his son, Shechem.  He further suggested that their tribes intermarry.  Then Shechem said to Jacob and his sons,

Let me find favor in your eyes, and I will give you whatever you ask.  Make the price for the bride and the gift I am to bring as great as you like, and I'll pay whatever you ask me.  Only give me the girl as my wife.  [vs.11-12] 

They responded deceitfully that they couldn't intermarry unless the Hivite men submitted to circumcision.  

Shechem was so in love with Dinah that he lost no time in doing what they said.  Then, he and his father persuaded their fellow townsmen to do the same.  

All the men who went out of the city gate agreed with Hamor and his son Shechem, and every male in the city was circumcised.  [v.24]

Three days later, while all of them were still in pain, two of Jacob's sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah's brothers, took their swords and attacked the unsuspecting city, killing every male.  They put Hamor and his son Shechem to the sword and took Dinah from Shechem's house and left.  The sons of Jacob came upon the dead bodies and looted the city where their sister had been defiled.  They seized their flocks and herds and donkeys and everything else of theirs in the city and out in the fileds.  They carried off their wealth and all their women and children, taking as their plunder everything in their houses.  [vs.25-29]

Jacob was angry with Simeon and Levi and expressed his fear that they would now be a target for the Canaanites and Perizzites who lived in the land.  Shortly after this, God told Jacob to move to Bethel and settle there...

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It would be seventeen hundred years later that Jesus would teach a different way of responding.  

Anger always tempts us to take matters into our own hands.  Anger breeds violence.  Retribution elicits counter-retribution and the cycle repeats itself ad infinitum.  History proves this again and again.  

Jesus' teaching seeks to break this pattern before it takes root!  He assures us that God is always watching and has a way of evening the score without our action increasing tension and deepening rage.  

The Apostle Paul clarifies this for us:

Do not repay anyone evil for evil.  Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.  If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.  Do not take revenge my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written:  "It is mine to avenge;  I will repay," says the Lord.  On the contrary:

"If your enemy is hungry, feed him;  if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.  In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."  

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.  [Romans 12:17-21] 

This sounds like an unreasonable request - doesn't it?  

Someone does something terrible to me, and I'm supposed to be kind to them and leave it to God to settle the accounts?  

History - recent and ancient - provides examples of this practice:

• Corrie Ten Boom forgives the soldier who treated her (and her sister) so badly in the concentration camp.
• Jake DeShazzar goes back to Japan - where he had suffered violently as a prisoner - and brings the Gospel to the people as a missionary for Christ!
• Back in October of 2006, a gunman took Amish hostages and shot eight out of ten girls (aged 6–13), killing five, before committing suicide in the schoolhouse.  On the day of the shooting, a grandfather of one of the murdered Amish girls was heard warning some young relatives not to hate the killer, saying, "We must not think evil of this man."

We have choices!  We can perpetrate the evil and continue the violence, or we can entrust the matter to God, receive His comfort and set an example for our world.  

Ever-loving, always graceful God,

What You ask of us is hard!  It seems like vengeance is hard-wired into our nature.  

In the moment of crisis, so fill us with Your Holy Spirit that we will be enabled to make wise and godly choices.  Restrain our hands from violence!  Fill us - in the moment - with godly mercy!  

In confidence that You will never fail us...Amen.

 

 

 

GETTING ALONG

In Matthew 18, Jesus gives us teaching on how to get along.  It's clear, logical and beneficial.

If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you.  If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.

But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.

If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church;  and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.  [vs.15-17]

Over the years, I have brought opposing parties together many times in an attempt to create an opportunity for reconciliation.  There were a few times that the process was successful.  But, by-and-large, we ignore this biblical process and let divisions agitate and continue.  Many churches include people who carefully avoid one another Sunday after Sunday.  Sad!  

We serve a God who wants His people to live in unity.  He sets procedures for confronting other believers about sin [see I Corinthians 5] and promised to be present in even the smallest gatherings of His followers:  For where two or three come together in my name, there I am with them.  [Matthew 18:20]

The Apostle Paul also bore this concern for unity:

...avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless.  Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time.  After that, have nothing to do with him.  You may be sure that such a man is warped and sinful;  he is self-condemned.  [Titus 3:9-11]

Here's an important thought:

When Jesus tells us to treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector, this does not mean to shun them or treat them badly.  Rather, "...if he refuses to hear the church, let him be to you as a heathen, to whom you still owe earnest, tender, good will, but not familiarity."   [John Wesley, Renew My Heart, 10/15]   Meanness is not a part of our faith response!  If we alienate them, how can we win them?  

Remarkably, this passage in Matthew 18 is immediately followed by Peter's question:  Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me?  Then, Peter stretches his faith and adds, Up to seven times?   [v.21] 

Then Jesus startles Peter and the others listening:  I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. [v.22]  And then Jesus unfolds the story of the ungrateful servant who was forgiven a great debt and then refused to forgive a small debt.  The story ends with the ungrateful servant being turned over to the jailers to be tortured until he should pay back all he owed.   Jesus ends this story with a warning:  This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.   [Matthew 18:23-35] 

We serve a God who mercifully forgives and requires us to do the same.  Peter's answer went beyond the rabbinic teaching of forgiving three times - but Jesus said (basically) not to keep track at all.  Then He told a story to show that whatever "debt" someone owes us is nothing compared to the "debt" we owe God.  In the story, the servant requested more time to pay the debt, but the king went beyond that request to give the gift of total forgiveness!  

Be careful not to think of debts purely in monetary form!  As the Facebook introduction to this blog reminds us, debts can take many relational forms.  

Loving and forgiving Lord,

Oh, we need lots of help to be more like You!   Being forgiven is the easy part.  Forgiving others is the hard part!  Yet You require it of us!  Help us to realize how small the debts of others are compared to our debt to You!  If You've forgiven us SO MUCH, we should surely be able to forgive others for much smaller violations.  

None of us wants to be thrown into the pit and tortured.  We want to gain heaven in all its glory!  Don't let us miss it because of a stubborn heart!  Soften our hearts by the power of Your Holy Spirit and help us to be forgiving people!  For Jesus' sake.  Amen.

 

 

LEARNING THE HARD WAY

II Chronicles 33 tells us about Manasseh's life.

His father, Hezekiah, had been King of Judah for twenty-nine years.  Hezekiah had been a good, God-serving king!

Manasseh became king when he was twelve years old.  That means he was born when his dad was forty-two years old.  Although we have no details, Manasseh chose to rebel against his father's values - and therefore against God.

The Bible describes him as follows:
v.2  -  ...it was an evil reign, for he encouraged his people to worship the idols of the heathen nations...
v.9  -  ...Manasseh encouraged the people...to do even more evil than the nations the Lord destroyed when Israel entered the land.

But here's the critical line: 
v.10  -  Warnings from the Lord were ignored by both Manasseh and his people.

So:
v.11  -  ...God sent the Assyrian armies, and they seized Manasseh with hooks and bound him with chains and carted him away to Babylon.

Don't Blame God!

I came across an amazing verse in The Message this morning.  Proverbs 19:2  People ruin their lives by their own stupidity, so why does GOD always get blamed?"

Yikes!  That's blunt!  But true!  Why is it that we get ourselves into horrible fixes - and then blame God?  It's an insane thing to do;  completely illogical.  Yet all of us do it.

We choose our addictions - and then get mad at God for allowing us to do so.  We make choices all along throughout our lives - and then get upset with God because our lives didn't turn out the way we hoped.

It's so easy to blame God for stuff.  It shuffles the responsibility away from ourselves.  Instead of being angry with myself, I can be angry with God!  Everything is His fault!  I get off scott-free. 

The essence of this is:

• God has given us free will.
• God has also given us guidelines and parameters to live by.
• God holds us accountable through His Holy Spirit.
• God forgives us when we screw up.
• God reinstates us after our rebellions

With all that freedom and grace, how must I hurt Him when I blame Him for the results of my own choices?