Wasn't it just today?

I wrote this song, that has no melody, so I suppose that just makes it a poem. It came swiftly and poured like water out of me.  I was inspired. I was inspired by Peter, an apostle of Jesus. His denial of Jesus was what grabbed my attention. You see, when I read his story, I realized that when he declared with passion and intensity to never deny Jesus in Matthew, it was perhaps the same day that he said I don't know the what's it not man named Jesus in John. I am not throwing stones because I am just like him. I believe that maybe even so are you.  Jesus didn't abandon Peter. He knew it would happen and he told him ahead of time. Yet, he extended grace. You know that favour extended to us from God when it is undeserved.  Jesus called him and set him right. He is calling you today.  Do you not hear him through your pain?  Do you not hear him through your shame?  Do you not hear him calling your name?  Do you love me?  Do you love me? Do you love me?  Wasn't it just today...?


God I did it again
Went against your word and fell
It took only a minute to swing my attention
To one less worthy
To satisfy me

Wasn't it just today
I said with strong convictions
I would rather die than to deny
You Jesus
Wasn't it just today that I declared
with all my heart
That I would be loyal and ever true
Giving you my all and all

How could I ever imagine that this would be my end?
That what you said would really happen
Before the cock crowed three

Wasn't it just today
I said with strong convictions
I would rather die than to deny
You Jesus...

Guilt and shame are by my side
They stand ready to accuse me
To cause me pain
But piercing through the dark abyss
Is your gentle calling of my name

Wasn't it today
I said with strong convictions
There is therefore now
No condemnation within me?
Today my child, I set you free
Come now and stand in my liberty

Carpe Diem - Seize the Day

Carpe Diem is one of two of the only Latin phrases I know. I learnt it in my youth and never forgot it, despite never using it for years on end.  Until today. 

I am a complainer. I admit it.  I have complained about the weather. I have complained about the traffic. I have complained about the lines being too long, the injustice of my pay cheque, my son and his mess, and the list goes on. Today my pastor, Ron Binda, sent out an email which has caused me to re-think my strategy and adjust my attitude.  As God, spoke to him he shared this "David reminds us that "...this is the day the Lord has made...." (Psalm 118:24).  In this scripture he is saying this because God created the day and it belongs to Him. Therefore seize the day. Don't waste the day on negativity, bitterness, ...hating, fuming, worrying, fighting,...."  He continues to say that we must learn to rejoice and be glad in the days.  If God took it from us, well then life as we know it will be over. 

Why waste the day on things that don't matter in the big scheme of things?  Why spend the day complaining half of it away?  OUCH!Pastor Ron is right, we cannot control the weather, other people or even the circumstances  we sometimes face, but we can control our attitude and responses to them. 

So today, I encourage you, and maybe this is mostly for me, to Carpe Diem (Seize the day) by rejoicing and being glad in it!

F.O.R.G.I.V.E

Friday nights for me are usually spent surrounded by kids. I teach bible at my church's youth night.  Usually these kids have me on my toes as they want answers supported by the bible.  This Friday, our topic was about Forgiving.  It is a topic that seems to have no end.  I find that repeating the truth of forgive and forget God's way is beneficial to all.

So I asked them what they think Forgive means.  I got answers like this:

To forget it.  To give someone a chance to say sorry and then you can be friends again (emphasis on the apology).  To not think about something anymore.  To say sorry to someone else and more.

When presented with a scenario, not one single person was able to say they could forgive the wrong doer.  I asked them if they found out that someone had told the entire school that they were "ugly" which resulted in other kids sending face book name calling, tweets and other terrible insults would they forgive the person.  No-one said yes. For everyone, there was a list of deeds that were "forgivable" and "unforgivable".

However, while I may agree that we do feel that way sometimes, I had to highlight the lie in that way of thinking.  Clearly, the bible does not say that we are allowed to pick the offences against us that we forgive.  The truth, whether we believe or not, is that we have to forgive.  We forgive whether or not the offender is apologetic/sorry.  We forgive even when the deed against us is horrific. We forgive even when we our self still hurt and show fresh bruises. We forgive because God says we ought to and that is the final, blaring truth. We forgive so that we also may receive the Father's forgiveness as well.

By now, some of you are choking on this and perhaps your thoughts run along these lines "You don't know what has been done to me."  You are right. I don't.  But because I know the truth, I can say with bold assertion, it doesn't matter the situation - you are called to by God to forgive.

I told my class and I will tell you, to forgive is to rid yourself of a poison that if allowed to stay, will eventually destroy you. That will also destroy relationships with others, cause you to be sick and promotes evil. Lastly, unforgiveness separates you from God's provision and is a one way ticket to Hell. 

While this may be a lot to ingest, let me leave you with this acronym from my students (4 - 15y/o):

F   - Forget about it

O  - Old, it's in the past

R  - Respect the person and others

G  - Go on. Keep moving ahead.

I   - Ice the pain with prayer and include the person

V - Vent it out to God

E  - Enjoy life, dont get trapped in the bitterness of unforgiveness.