Everyone of them wanted something from Jesus – the prostitutes, the tax collectors, the sick, the sinners, even the dying criminal on the cross next to HIM… they all wanted something. Jesus had no problem with it, HE was ready to give – no looking into their track records, no questions asked, no judgment… and HE broke their cycle of sin, sickness, addiction and gave them a new lease of life. But to all of them HE said one thing, "do not sin again", do not go back to the old life. The request is not for HIS sake, but for their sake. Because HE knew staying saved was in their hands.
I come to HIM every morning as a person who falls and fails constantly. When I look into HIS eyes, I see no judgment, no questions – all I see is love, forgiveness, mercy. And every morning HE gives me a new beginning, new opportunities.
Then HE whispers to me, “don’t go back”. "Don't continue to live the way you did yesterday, the day before and before that. There is another way to live".
In Psalm 15 the Psalmist writes about the qualities of the person who may dwell in the presence of God. My initial reaction was, if these are the qualities required I would never make it…
But Jesus whispers to me, “you will be that person, I want you to be that person". "I offer you an intimate relationship with me, and my word inside of you will make you that person". "I offer you a place in God’s sanctuary". "This is what I offer you every morning, so don’t go back, don’t go back…”
As I start the day today, HIS words echo in my ears, “don’t go back”. I see a new lease of life for myself… a second chance to do things differently by remaining in HIS presence.
HE speaks to my heart directly through James 1:22-25;
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
