Of all the sins to which we fall, none makes us feel so smug as vengeance. When we’re the injured ones, the hurting ones—acknowledged victims of some sin—we live a perilously long moment of unexpected power. The voices of our culture ring too loudly in our ears: “Retaliate. Require groveling. Make certain that they’ll never hurt you—or anyone—like that again.” And sometimes in our weakness, we savor the imagination of how much pain we could inflict—all righteously, of course. We picture those who hurt us getting stings that we’ve endured. It’s grimly satisfying on some scale of “eye-for-eye.” But then the gospel pierces through our fog of pain, and we hear again the words that once changed everything for us: “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom 5:8). “In Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them” (2 Cor 5:19).” Only people who have been forgiven every truly forgive. The memory of our undeserved redemption pushes through our injury, and we recall how we were once where our abusers are. The grace we give is built on memory of how we’ve been released, and how our hearts have been renewed. So we lay down the lance; give up the sword. We offer others peace and healing Jesus is still giving us. This is His way. So stay in grace. -Bill Knott
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THE SONG OF THE REDEEMED (January 19, 2024)
UNWEARIED LOVE (January 12, 2024)
A COVENANT FOR WANDERERS (January 05, 2024)
GRACE TO FORGET (December 29,2023)
INFANT LOWLY (December 22, 2023)
THE NIGHT WILL BE LIGHT (December 15, 2023)
NEVER WAS A WAR (December 08, 2023)
WATCHING OVER US (December 01, 2023)
FULL OF GRACE AND TRUTH (November 24, 2023)
ALL ARE GIFTED (November 17, 2023)
BEYOND BIOLOGY (November 10,2023)
PEACE AMID THE CHAOS (November 03, 2023)
GRACE HAS A FACE (October 27, 2023)
UNEXPECTED (October 20, 2023)
SAYING WHAT’S TRUE (October 13, 2023)
BETTER THAN PLATINUM (October 06, 2023)
THE ONLY HERO STORY (September 29, 2023)
ACCORDING TO OUR NEED (September 22, 2023)
GIFTED AND GRACED (September 15, 2023)
BETTER THAN WE DREAMED (September 08, 2023)
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