6-17-24<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMaking a list, checking it twice\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
No, this is not a Christmas message gone astray. We all make lists\u2026 check our lists\u2026 are watched by others \u2013 bosses, teachers, coaches \u2013 according to lists. We \u201ccheck the boxes.\u201d We keep lists on our smart phones, i-Phones, tablets, laptops, desktops, and \u2013 if you are like me \u2013 on various corners of paper bags and Post-It notes, even if we cannot read them the next day, if we can find where we left them\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Items on lists can be trivial; or, of course, important. I will challenge us to consider starting some lists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Have you ever wondered how many times you sin? This list may comprise of all the things God considers sinning. So if you can remember all the people you have murdered over, say, the last week, jot them down. The same with grand theft auto and major bank heists. Then, since all sins are offensive in the eyes of a Holy God, you can move down the list to incidents of fibs, \u201cwhite lies,\u201d outright lies and other euphemisms. Jealousy? Insults? Hate speech? Gossip? Check, check, check\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Items on that list can add up pretty quickly. \u201cGreat and small,\u201d how many? One a day? Well\u2026 maybe more a few more than that. Maybe half a dozen in all categories, if nit-pickers (um, like God) would be checking it twice.
Big deal. Six a day. Or \u2013 hang on, I stink at math \u2013 that would be, like 40 or 50 a week? Gee, that\u2019s like 2500 a year. Sins. You know, transgressions. That adds up to 25 thousand a decade. In an average lifespan that would be\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
OK, OK, I\u2019ll change the subject. We can stay in the religious realm but try to be more esoteric. Make a list of the times you have asked God to forgive you of something. I\u2019ll bet a lot of people, even devout Christians, hope<\/em> God will forgive them of this-or-that, but don\u2019t always bother to plead their case in prayer. All right, then, try to calculate how often you think you need <\/em>to ask God\u2019s forgiveness over something. Large or small. Even when we fool ourselves in that regard, how lengthy would that list be, say, in an average week?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Or. Turn it around. How often have you<\/em> forgiven someone when they have wronged you? Even, or especially, if they have not asked your forgiveness?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Is the portion of the Lord\u2019s Prayer, \u201cForgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us<\/em>,\u201d coming to mind?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Which lists of these, and similar categories, have a multitude of check-boxes in your life; and which are short lists? Are they in the right proportion? We might find it hard to \u201cpopulate\u201d such lists; to remember everything; to try and keep count. But we know that God in Heaven sees all, knows all, and \u201cchecks\u201d things like when sparrows fall to earth\u2026 heck, God even knows every tear that falls from your eyes. The hairs on your head. Your \u201ccomings and goings.\u201d He knew us \u201cbefore we were formed in our mother\u2019s wombs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let me share one more thing about lists \u2013 specifically about a God who does <\/em>make a list and no doubt checks it twice, not that He needs to. The list with your name on it will be to your credit when you have accepted Christ; and the list with the Xs will not be used against you \u2013 will be wiped clean \u2013 when you have, instead, accepted Christ. God\u2019s grace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A loving God knows everything about you \u2013 He knows your name, so to speak \u2013 and that should not make you paranoid as you go through life, over those hours and days and years and decades. He catches you when you fall; He forgives you when you ask; yes, He knows your name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n + + +<\/p>\n\n\n\n