In His Steps

Easter is rapidly approaching.

I recall a pastor once referring to Easter and Christmas as the annual pilgrimages.

This was his humorous way of stating that you would see some people in church on these days only.

This got me thinking about pilgrimages.

Each year, many people travel to the Holy Land as a way of feeling closer to Jesus.

Many, in fact, do so around Easter in order to retrace the steps Jesus took on the way to the cross.

Matthew 23:33 (NET) - They came to a place called Golgotha (which means “Place of the Skull”)

I can understand the desire to feel closer to Jesus.

And, if people have both the means and the desire to make this trip, I would not stand in their way.

But the fact is that we do not have to travel to the Holy Land to follow His steps.

Jesus taught by example.

He reached out to others.

Sometimes He did so to large groups of people.

Sometimes He reached out to small numbers.

Quite often He simply reached out to individuals.

We each have within us the power to do the same.

We can volunteer our time to various causes.

We can help those less fortunate than ourselves.

We can even begin by simply talking to people.

That’s what Jesus did for the woman at the well.

When she came to the well, Jesus began by asking her for water.

This surprised the woman.

John 4:9 (NET) So the Samaritan woman said to him, “How can you—a Jew—ask me, a Samaritan woman, for water to drink?” (For Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans.)

The conversation they had changed the woman’s life forever.

As a Christian, I know that Jesus will return some day.

When Jesus returns all will be put right.

But until that day arrives, there is plenty of work for us in the here and now.

Work to make lives better.

We can even do so one person at a time.

What better way to begin than by talking to others like Jesus did?

Even those who might appear to have little in common with us.

In these ways, we can all follow His steps without even travelling abroad.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, March 6, 2020.

I’ll be back here on Friday, March 13, 2020

Choose Not to Remember

I like questions.

In most cases they remind me how much I do not know

As such they force me to dig deeper into God’s word.

I recently had such a question posed to me.

Does God forgive and forget?

After considering the question carefully, I had to turn this into two questions.

Does God forgive?

Scripture makes it very plain that God does indeed forgive.

Daniel 9:9 (NET) - Yet the Lord our God is compassionate and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him.

There are other examples from the Old Testament.

Micah 7:18 (NET) - Who is a God like you? Who forgives sin and pardons the rebellion of those who remain among his people? Who does not stay angry forever, but delights in showing loyal love?

I think my favorite examples come from the Psalmist and Isaiah.

Psalm 103:12 (NET) - As far as the eastern horizon is from the west, so he removes the guilt of our rebellious actions from us.

Isaiah 1:18 (NET) - Come, let’s consider your options,” says the Lord. “Though your sins have stained you like the color red, you can become white like snow; though they are as easy to see as the color scarlet, you can become white like wool.

Forgiveness is possible through His Son.

Ephesians 1:7-8 (NET) - In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our offenses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us in all wisdom and insight.

All of which is well and good.

But, what about the second part of the question?

Does God forget?

God is omniscient.

God is all knowing.

To me, forgetting is a human weakness.

We can forget everything from appointments to birthdays and anniversaries.

We even forget the promises we make.

That is why I have a difficult time saying that God could forget.

Fortunately, Scripture provides the better alternative.

Isaiah 43:25 (NET) - I, I am the one who blots out your rebellious deeds for my sake; your sins I do not remember.

It is the best of everything.

God forgives and chooses not to remember our sins anymore.

He chooses never to hold our past against us.

Shouldn’t we try to do the same with others.

Colossians 3:13 (NET) - bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if someone happens to have a complaint against anyone else. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also forgive others.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at https://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, February 21, 2020.

I’ll be back here on Friday, February 28, 2020