Grace

Today's Daily Soap {Scripture | Observation | Application | Prayer}

• S: Psalm 51:8-13
• O: God forgives sin.
• A: The Bible says that we all sin. Everyone. You. Me. The President. Your Pastor. Even the Pope. No one is immune to sin. Just as we all have sinned against God, we likely have all wronged someone that we love or care about in some way. We've all made mistakes. It's, frankly, easier to make a mistake than not. And if you have children, well, how much of your time do you spend correcting your children for undesirable behavior? The good news: God forgives our sins. Just for the asking. And not only does he forgive, but he forgets them. It's as if that sin that we have confessed and asked to be forgiven was never committed. Can you imagine?! How is that for grace?! But how graceful are we as a society? With our mandatory sentencing, and statutes of limitations -- all things that are needed, unfortunately, to maintain an orderly society. But when was the last time you showed grace to someone you loved? When was the last time you said, "Don't worry about it, it's no big deal. Stuff happens." When was the last time you showed such grace to your own children, as God shows to his children every time we ask? My 4-year old son has been staying with his grandparents since Sunday. It was originally planned to be a two-night stay over, but the snow and ice that fell in Indianapolis on Monday night and Tuesday changed our plans. Due to road conditions, we've had to leave him there for another night. And it's still snowing outside. I have to work today, and my wife is supposed to go pick him up. I miss him. I called him yesterday and spoke briefly on the phone with him, but that doesn't make up for playing Scooby Doo with him on TV, or hide-and-seek, or being awakened when he crawls into bed with us in the middle of the night. It doesn't make up for having him here. And I've thought over these past few days of just how much time I spend correcting him for undesired behavior. Sure, even the Bible says we need to discipline our children. But to what extent? Can I try to be more understanding and more patient with my son? I think so. I think I must. I think I must show my children the kind of grace that God shows me on a daily basis.
• P: God, I miss my son. I know he's coming back to us soon, but that doesn't change the fact that I feel his temporary absence. And worse, this time of separation makes me realize that maybe I waste some of the time that he's with us by rebuking him for misbehaving. And I realize today that, instead of rebuking, maybe I should find a way to do more with him. Help me to do that, Lord. Help me to show the grace that You show me. And more importantly, help me to sustain that, not to just slip back into the old practice of correcting him constantly after he's been back home for a couple of days. Remind me, somehow, to show grace.

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