Thursday, September 24, 2009

What are you waiting for?

Yeshua taught:
If you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. (Matt. 5:23-24)
Jewish tradition says that at Yom Kippur, God only forgives sins we've commited against Him. The sins we've committed against other people, we have to go and ask forgiveness for. Yeshua taught the same thing, and he was pretty serious about it:
Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny. (Matt. 5:25-26)
It takes a lot of courage to go to someone and apologize, or even to ask, "Is there anything I've done over the year which I should apologize for?" But it sends a message to your loved ones that their friendship is important to you, and it sends a message to God that you truly love Him by loving your neighbor.

So what are you waiting for?

May all of the readers at Gathering Sparks have an easy and meaningful fast.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

very true...that's a cool illustration...i checked out the webpage and it's quilting...how cool

Daydreamer said...

Our mercy on each other is directly relevant to the unity of the Body of Messiah.

Yahnatan said...

Debs, great point. I'm glad that both you and ronit contributed.

I know I've been MIA for almost a month now...I hope to rectify that with a post-Sukkot post before the end of the weekend. Stay tuned!