Wednesday, 14 January, 2004

We are now in a devotional journey focused around portions of Carl E. Braaten’s book “Justification.”





The forgiveness of sins is the actualization of the divine presence of the living Christ in the midst of human beings who cannot on their own cross the bridge that leads to fellowship with God. Human feelings cannot build the bridge; they cannot cross the bridge. They stand on the one side of a grand canyon; every effort to leap across to the other side succeeds only in hurling them into the abyss below. Forgiveness of sins is God’s way of spanning the distance between the righteousness God demands The following piece was used yesterday. Today the focus is on the portion that is highlighted.and humanity’s unrelenting sin of self-assertiveness or self-abasement.



Very often, self-assertiveness falls into the image of boasting or asserting the self over and against others. In this way, such action contributes to the brokenness and separation that exists between us. Some may say that it has to do with thinking “to much” of ourselves. Not being content with being the creature God intended us to be…another way to say it would be to say we are trying to be like God. Therefore, we ask to be forgiven of such a picture of ourselves and of others. On the other hand, we must also be reminded that it is a part of our brokenness and our separation from others to think “less of ourselves.” God created me to be me…not you…not something other than me. Therefore, I am who I am…not less. The sin of self-abasement is not always seen as a part of our sinful nature. And yet it is. We are not doormats. We are not slaves to others. We are not of less worth than others in the room. We are not undeserving of God’s gracious reign. It is important to exercise the power of being given to each of us from our Creator.



Connection: When we walk side-by-side with others, we may be of different abilities and needs and gifts and flaws, but we are side-by-side as one people – baptized. May you see the worth of your being in the middle of our dance of life today.



Lord of a New Day, lift us up that we may see how wonderful your creation can be and how we each are a part of that wonder that fills the day with new life and hope and community. Amen.