Annual Pilgrimage

I find myself awakening to an Ohio sunrise this morning. I have traveled this route before - many times in fact. On the morning of my wedding day my soon to be mother-in-law made me promise that I would bring her daughter back to Ohio at least once a year. What man would not make any promise it took in order to get the privilege of marrying the one he loves? (I am only glad that the promise was not something really hard to fulfill.) I have kept this promise every year except once. The last year of Joyce's life she was physically unable to travel back and so we missed last year's pilgrimage. I write this in order to make a confession. I have failed to keep this promise for a second time. I awoke this morning to realize I ran off to the airport yesterday and left Joyce at home! I should have brought her ashes with me to technically fulfill my vow to my mother-in-law. I have reluctantly (on the part of Joyce's family) been granted forgiveness so now I am free to move throughout the day with a merry heart! Thanks to my brother-in-laws for their grace. In this aspect they model our Heavenly Father's heart.

How awful it would be to not receive grace and to know that I would forever be unable to rectify this misdeed of mine. (Now I could go back to Texas and ship her ashes back to Ohio but that still is not the same as bringing her back to Ohio. However, shipping ashes is a little harder than calling up the UPS man for door-to-door delivery. But that is another story for another day in another world.)

Real sin is like that. Once committed we cannot ourselves remove it's sin from our life. We may be able to rectify some of circumstances and consequences caused as a result of our sin, but the deed done is still forever there. What wretched creatures we can so easily become. Who can save us from our own destiny created through our own plans and activities?
As I said earlier in this post, my brother-in-laws model our Father's heart. God, in his loving mercy, has not only chosen to forgive our sin but has also chosen to not remember our sin once it is forgiven. In our relating to God our Father, forgiveness without the forgetting of our sin doesn't work. If God would remember my sins then how could I ever freely come into his presence with joy knowing that He knows all of my sins? This remembering of my sins would negate Hebrews 4:16 real quickly because I could never approach His throne of grace with confidence.

Praise God. He is full of mercy everyday and today is no exception so we can go forth with great freedom and joy to love Him and dance with our Lord today. So have a great day filled with much laughter and joy.

Blessings

PS My brother-in-laws approved of this post - especially the part about their modeling God's heart!