Why Wasn't My Name Called?

John 1:12 (NIV)

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—

A man had a dream that Christ returned to judge the living and the dead. Those who confessed Jesus as their Lord and Savior were rewarded with eternal life. Those who rejected Him were justly condemned to Hell.

As the last name of the righteous was called out, a young man rushed forward to inquire why his name was not included.

"But Jesus!" he cried, "Why wasn't my name called? I've lead a good life and always tried to help my fellow man!"

A gentle voice answered, "Yes, you have done many good works."

"And what about Church?" asked the young man, "I often visited many types of churches! I sang the songs, recited the words, knelt when I was to, and donated a portion of my income!"

Again the soft voice responded, "Yes, I remember seeing you there."

Increasingly frustrated, the young man continued, "I never did drugs. I rarely drank, tried not to swear and never hit a woman! Tell me...what have I done to deserve this horrible fate?"

"You hated My Son and you hated Me," said another voice.

"How can you say that?" cried out the young man, tears streaming down the side of his face.

Again, the bold voice answered, "Throughout your life, I kept knocking, yet you refused to answer. The messengers I sent to teach and warn you were mocked or ignored. You chose to believe the false dictate of the world that there are many paths to Me. Yet I, in My Written Word, and My messengers, repeatedly told you there is but ONE way to Me - that is, through my Son Jesus Christ. You did not seek the truth, but only relied on your own righteousness. The truth was continuously placed before you, but you did not partake of it. You hated My truth, Me, and My Son."

Through the flood of tears, the man’s face turned red with anger, "What type of God are you? A loving God would not condemn anyone to Hell!"

"My son," said the deep voice, "It is My desire that all are saved. I have laid out a great feast before men, but many have rejected My invitation. You see, I have not turned my back on them. They have turned their back on Me. I did not choose this terrible fate for you... you chose it for yourself."

The young man could say nothing more because he knew deep in his heart God was right. And so, he turned his back on God for one last time and slowly walked toward the remainder of the crowd that was crying, screaming and cursing His name.

The young man woke up from his dream. Thankfully for him, he learned from his dream and invited Christ into his life that same day.

I wonder how many more will continue to ignore God's many efforts to reach them.

Dear Lord, we pray for those that have turned their back on You. Help us be the one that shows them Your amazing love so that they may come to You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

A Forgiving Heart

Matthew 6:14-15 (New International Version)

14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

A man awoke out of sound sleep one night, due to a recurring dream. The dream was always the same. He was swimming in a lake, and although a good swimmer, his arms and legs grew increasingly weary, and he feared he might not make it back to shore. Suddenly, as if out of nowhere, an elderly man who looked identical to his deceased father passed by in a rowboat. He stopped, held out his hand, but recalling how poorly his father treated him as a child, he smiled dryly and said," No thank you, Dad. I'll be ok."

The man continued to frantically splash his way back to shore. Looking to the side, he saw yet another form in the distance. It was his daughter, swimming quickly toward him with a life preserver. "Here, dad! Put this on!" Remembering the many times his daughter disobeyed him as a rebellious teen, the man shook his head and waved his daughter on.

Upon finally making it to shore, the man collapsed from exhaustion in the wet sand. Conscious, yet unable to move, the man spied a large group of people around him. All the people looked familiar - faces of the many friends and relations he had come in contact with during his life. They offered to take him to the hospital, to bring him some warm clothes, or towel, but as each person spoke, the man recalled the many times that person did him wrong. "No thank you," he said, "I will be fine." The man stood up, brushed off his sandy, wet clothes, and walked wearily into the sunset.

After the third night of dreaming this same dream, the man sought the opinion of the only person he felt he could trust to not hurt him, his wise, old grandmother.

"What does the dream mean, gram?" He asked. The wrinkled and wise- looking woman sat in silence for several moments, and then finally spoke. "I'm no dream-readin' expert, sonny, but I'd say that someone is trying to tell you that you are holding in a lot of bitterness, due to an unforgiving attitude."

The man pounded his fists on the table in indignation. "Bitter? Unforgiving? That is absurd! I should have known better than come to an uneducated woman like you!"

The old woman sat very still and calmly said, "There is more. I'm guessin' that the struggle you encountered in the water is the same sort of struggle that you often feel inside. You WANT to reach out and take hold of a warm and caring hand, but no hand is good enough for you. You made it to the shore THIS time, but what about next time?" Red-faced and exasperated, the man stormed out of the room muttering to himself.

Forgiveness is not something we do for others; it is something we do for our SELF. Those who do not forgive others, who do not forgive easily, or who forgive on a conditional basis, slowly build up bitterness inside themselves.

Because when we hold in negative feelings, and do not work on finding suitable resolutions, we carry all the hurts, anger, fear and disappointments INSIDE our selves. Like the man in the story, we might THINK we are "OK," even put on a good social front, but the reality of the matter is, when we refuse to forgive and move on to a new day, the negative baggage becomes so much a part of us, that it blurs our vision and causes our perceptions of the world and those around us to be distorted. An unforgiving attitude not only affects one emotionally, but physically and spiritually.

Perhaps the greatest example of the ultimate forgiveness was the Son of God. Jesus Christ was guilty of no crime, nor wrong doing, yet he hung nailed to a cross, for your sins and mine. How easily he could have cursed those who persecuted him, even damned them to Hell, if he desired, yet, putting all pride aside, he uttered these words, "Father, forgive them..."

In the Bible, we are told many times over that if we do not forgive others, God will not forgive us. It is easy to say we forgive, but forgiveness is an ACTION, not just a word. If we truly forgive, then old grudges, bitterness, and resentments are washed away.

You may be happy to know that after some time of solitude, the man in the story went home to his wife, sat her down, and as he held her hands, he promised her that from this day forth, each day would be a new day, and the sun would not again go down on unresolved issues. This same sentiment was carried over each time he saw a friend or relation.

By crying out to God to forgive this man of the wrongs he did in his own life, he was then able to fully understand the beauty and purpose of his forgiving others. If Christ forgives us, then we must also forgive others.

Dear Lord we pray that we would have the heart of forgiveness today. Help us forgive the small things and the big things. In Jesus’ name, Amen.