forgiven..

At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures.

Titus 3:3 NIV

Reflecting on a conversation about forgiveness… and the words spoken about not feeling forgiven… I process the truth about sin…

You and I have been lied to. We have been deceived.

…

I want you to see how a lie was the starting place for all the trouble in the history of the universe. Eve had listened to that lie, believed that lie, and acted on that lie. Every problem, every war, every wound, every broken relationship, every heartache — it all goes back to one simple lie.

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Satan poses as an “angel of light” (2Corinthians 11:14). He promises and pretends to have our best interests at heart. But he is a deceiver and a destroyer; he is determined to dethrone God by getting us to side with him against God.

–Nancy Leigh DeMoss, Lies Women Believe

I’ve processed this idea… all sin is based on a lie… and I’ve found it to be true…

So when it comes to forgiveness… how can you not forgive someone whose been lied to… whose been deceived… whose been violated… by the liar…

And it comes to me… the story of the Good Samaritan… is not really about the Samaritan… it’s about the guy left for dead on the side of the road…!

Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. …”

Luke 10:29 ESV

A man… fell among robbers… who stripped him… beat him… leaving him half dead…

The enemy… he only comes to steal… kill… destroy…

This one man on the road… is all humanity… who fell prey to the enemy who prowls… looking for someone to devour with his lies…

The Good Samaritan comes upon this poor… deceived… looted man… and has mercy… sees to his wounds… pays for his care… until he can return…

Do you see it…? Who would not forgive…? have mercy…? compassion…? on someone robbed…? beaten…? left for dead…?

Jesus… He is the Good Samaritan… the One who bore our burden…

We the man half dead…

This is the way He sees us… caught off guard on our journey of life… attacked… hijacked… brutally beaten… left for dead… by the lies of the world…

Who would not forgive…? who would not have mercy…?

Only those who are also deceived… who care more about their own reputation… their own self-righteousness… than the wounds of others…

Jesus sees us as we truly are… therefore… He rescues… delivers… redeems…

Oh my… what a picture…

He sees exactly how we ended up in the ditch of life…

He sees and has mercy…

See yourself through His eyes…

See yourself as someone who you knew had been blindsided by deceit…

Here is where we can connect with His forgiveness of us… and our forgiveness of ourselves…

He sees what we don’t…

He sees what we can’t…

So He came to die for our sins… so we can see… and live… wholly… fully… free… and at peace…

Amen… and… Amen…

[Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash]