No Record of Wrongs

"Making a list, checking it twice, gonna find out who's naughty and nice..." Speaking of lists, Jesus doesn't make one. Sounds kind of silly, but in all seriousness, the thought became a reality to me this morning as I sat by my 9' sparkling Christmas tree. I almost typed "beautiful sparkling Christmas tree," but the angel on the top is crooked. I refuse to get the ladder out of the garage again. It's not going to happen. I suppose a crooked angel can still be beautiful. That's a lesson in and of itself. :) Let me rephrase my sentence, "the thought became a reality as I sat by my 9' beautiful, sparkling Christmas tree this morning." I'm glad Santa is not the Savior. I would be in such trouble with his list!

While reading about the definition of love in Corinthians, the phrase that stuck out to me most was, "love keeps no record of wrongs." It is both amazing and refreshing that Jesus is different than the rest of us who struggle with not keeping a list of wrongs about one another and/or ourselves. Jesus is a serious refreshment to my soul. I'm talking about the real, intimate friend, Jesus who loves so differently, sees me so uniquely, speaks about me tenderly, defines me so differently, loves so unconditionally, thinks about me constantly, and is nothing but encouraging. If only my heart remembered all of those things. Unfortunately I have a tendency to forget reality when other things creap in and steal the truth that was once ruling on the inside of me. This year, I want to take my list I make so often of my wrongs, throw the darn thing in the fireplace, and watch it burn. Oh that our hearts would truly be rooted and grounded in His love - that what others think or feel about us would not matter and that we would walk as Ones who are confident in the fact that we are immensely and passionately cared for, believed in, and seen.

It is a fact. Jesus doesn't make a list. He doesn't check it twice. I want to be like Him. Open our hearts Lord to hear your voice, to taste of your goodness, to believe in the truth of how you feel, to grasp your tender affection towards us, and to carry it to another. He gives hope to the hopeless. He is my hope.