The things I am ashamed of ...

I suppose most of us are fairly nice most of the time.  At least we think we are.  But I have things I am ashamed of.  I don’t mean things that I’m embarrassed about … you know, the time I wore the wrong clothes, or the time I said the wrong thing, or when I vomited in my friend’s car.  I mean the things I am ashamed of having done; things that can’t be undone.

Saying something funny and cutting making everyone think I’m clever; but seeing the pain in the person’s eyes made me realise I had been cruel.  Breaking something at work and keeping quiet, but someone else got the blame.  There are these things that don’t make me look bad, but show me that I am bad sometimes.  These things can haunt me.  I have made the world a worse place.

It often isn't seen, but if things are wrong on the inside it makes a difference.

But our letter has good news for us.  The writer tells us that in Jesus we have forgiveness.  Forgiveness?  This is the only way these things can be dealt with.  The One who is there, behind the universe http://outsiders-urbanspirituallife.blogspot.com/2014/10/who-is-there.html , is offering to forgive us for messing up, for hurting the world. 

If I can be forgiven that is something to marvel at.  In fact it says here forgiveness “in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us.”  What a picture of abundance, a profusion of treasure.  The freedom we long for is offered to us.

The Bible: Ephesians 1:7&8

http://www.biblica.com/en-us/bible/online-bible/?translation=niv&book=ephesians&chapter=1