Thought for September 21, 2024

  • 1776: Nathan Hale arrested
  • 1823: Moroni first appears to Joseph Smith, according to Smith
  • 1897: NY Sun prints editorial, "Yes, Virginia there is a Santa Clause"
  • 1922: President Harding signs joint resolution approving Jewish homeland in Palestine
  • 1928: "My Weekly Reader" first issue
  • 1937: Tolkien's "The Hobbit" published
  • 1970" "Monday Night Football" premiers
  • 1981: Sandra Day O'Conner confirmed as Supreme Court Justice
  • 2022: NY Attorney General files lawsuit against Donald Trump alleging fraud
  • Born: H.G. Wells, Larry Hagman, Dickey Lee [my friend who wrote "Patches" among others], Fannie Flagg, Stephen King, Bill Murray, Faith Hill, 
  •  Died: Virgil, Walter Scott, John Stafford Smith [wrote music for Star Spangled Banner], Chief Joseph, Earle Dickson [invented the Band-Aid], Jacqueline Susann, Walter Brennan, Florence Griffith Joyner, Rex Humbard, Melvin Van Peebles, 
Thought:
Finishing Micah this morning reading 7:18-20. Yesterday was the question, what can I bring to God or what does God require of me. Today, the question is who is like God? Certainly we quickly respond, "No one." And Micah could have simply said that. But in answering the question, we need to ponder and meditate on why God is different, unique, ONE.
  • He pardons iniquity. [7:18] Iniquity--corruption in morals or actions. Violating a duty that I am told to keep. God pardons--removes the guilt and the punishment for all my violations through Christ and His blood. Who else can pardon my iniquity--no one because the violations and failures are against him.
  • He forgives my rebellion. [7:18] I am the rebel, the traitor,  the one engaged in insurrection agains the King. And through Christ He forgives--places my sin as far as east is from west, makes my scarlet as white as snow, remembers it no more. 
  • His anger is not forever. [7:18] Why? Because He delights in unchanging love. His love for me quells His anger. Love overcomes anger. Maybe I should learn that when I get angry--love overcomes anger.
This morning these verses bring a couple of thoughts to mind. First, I am reminded that Jesus took the punishment for my iniquity, accepted freely the punishment for my rebellion. He bought me, redeemed me, saved me. Now how can I respond to that truth today. Second, how am I doing with forgiving. He forgave me, but how am I doing with forgiving others. A couple of weeks ago, I told my class that while sitting on the porch on Saturday morning reading for our lesson the next day, a thought popped into my mind--what if God forgave me the way I forgive others? How would that work out for me? And then I thought of how many times I have said the Lord's Prayer--"forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors." I have been praying that God would forgive me the same way I have forgiven others. Jesus was trying to teach me something in the Model Prayer that I missed. He expects me to truly forgive others so that I can honestly pray, "forgive us as we forgive others." I have a lot of work to do. 

Blessings
Larry

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