Moments of madness!

We all like to live sane lives and pride ourselves to be sensible and smart. When Jesus rebuked Peter, he must have been shocked because he thought he was talking a lot of sense. I contend that we need God to bring us into moments of madness where he can show us our pitiable state. There are times when God opens our eyes to see things as they really are. Most of the time, we walk blind, not seeing the bigger picture and not having a realistic view of our weaknesses and shortcomings. We are oblivious to the satanic tug in our own souls and like king Nebuchadnezzar, we  are sometimes forced to eat grass because we have lifted ourselves to an unsafe place. We are so prone to judging others and unable to see the same lack or attitude which may be in an even more magnified form in our own lives. We look at others pityingly and are woefully short of having glimpses into the deplorable condition of our own hearts. God allows times of insanity in our lives to reveal to us how much our fallen nature can deceive us. The deceitfulness of sin is our main contender and we need to wield the sword inward and cut out the vileness away from within ourselves. O, may more periods of madness fall on us.

I am forgiven. indeed I am!

The truth about our justification is a glorious one and therefore we need to delve deep into it, especially with regards to the forgiveness of our sins. The fact about our forgiveness is such a awesome thing and saints have difficulty in rejoicing in it, partly because of a problem in applying that truth in daily living. When we think about our forgiveness the day we were saved, we tend to apply that only with regards to sins committed upto that point of time. We fail to see that our forgiveness was not just to give us a new beginning but it was meant to give us a new standing. Before we were forgiven, we were under the wrath of God. Now that we are forgiven, we have moved out of that position once and for all. The sins that we commit after that day is not going to bring us back into His wrath. It was a forgiveness that did not just take away our sin but a forgiveness that took away all our shame and brought out a new relationship with God as our Father. A forgiveness that has opened a door that would never be shut again. This truth about forgiveness has to be coupled with something else for it to shine in all its glory. Only when we realize that it has produced a covering of righteousness over us, do we find ourselves shouting, 'I have been forgiven, indeed I have forgiven! Glory be to His Name'