Forgiveness

Forgiveness, through the eyes of Robinson Crusoe – Upon debating the foolish choices which, eventually, would lead to him spending years alone on an island, Robinson Crusoe wrote in his journal: As to going home, shame opposed the best motions that offered to my thoughts; and it immediately occurred to me how I should be laughed at among the neighbors, and should be ashamed to see, not my father and mother only but even everybody else; from whence I have since often observed how incongruous and irrational the common temper of mankind is, especially of youth, to that reason which ought to guide them in such cases, that they are not ashamed to sin, and yet are ashamed to repent; not ashamed of the action for which they ought justly to be esteemed fools, but are ashamed of the returning, which can only make them esteemed wise men.

What is your sin? Oh, don’t worry. I’m not asking you to come by the office for confession. I’m asking you to consider, as is the case for some of our sins, the passion with which you pursued the transgression as opposed to the timidity with which you approached owning up to it as transgression.

We run towards that which makes us unclean and flee the very source of cleanliness. Maybe that is what original sin is about.

Christ is never embarrassed to call us brother or sister. We are the ones ashamed to claim the title. The Father was more than eager to claim The Prodigal as his son! It was the son who was reluctant to return AS A SON to his father.

Our Heavenly Father stands with open arms and tears streaming down his face waiting for us to return. The tears are not over what we have done but, rather, because we will not run to Him, the only one who can possibly fix it, with all our strength and all our being immediately upon committing the transgression! Instead of the blessings of the Kingdom we dwell in loneliness on the island with Robinson Crusoe waiting for the fellowship and community our Heavenly Father is more than willing to give.

Are you ready to come home? Have you spent enough time alone on the island? Run to the Father who will grant you that perfect fellowship. He will restore you and your relationships if you will only leave the foolishness of Robinson Crusoe behind and become wise!

Pastor Craig