Cross | Pardon
The cross is God’s forgiveness for sinful people. The cross means substitution—his life for your life. It means justification—justice is attained by his sacrifice in your place and for your sins. It means forgiveness, that what you deserve for your offenses has been taken on by another.
The gospel as pardon is thrilling news for those who are overwhelmed with guilt. This is gospel for those who are tortured with shame. For those who are nagged by conviction. For those who feel dirty over their thoughts, words, or deeds. For those who feel that there is no way that a good God could love a bad person. For those who feel that every bad thing that happens is God punishing for the bad things they’ve done. The cross: God’s pardon for us.
Invocation
Make the sign of the cross and say,
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Invitation Prayer
“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you” (Psalm 143:8).
Jesus came that we might receive pardon and forgiveness. Our sins haunt us with guilt and shame. We confess that we too often cower in fear instead of living in joy. John writes, “There is no fear in love…for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love” (John 4:18).
Consider your sin and fear this day: Fear of poverty and struggle.
Now consider the pardon of the cross of Christ: “In this is love, not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins” (I John 4:10). God’s love is proven to you in sacrifice. Wood and nails, sweat and blood, pain and a last breath. By the death and resurrection of Jesus, fear is confronted and cast out. With no conditions or strings attached, you are loved by God!
Word
“He will tend his flock like a shepherd;
he will gather the lambs in his arms;
he will carry them in his bosom,
and gently lead those that are with young.” (Isaiah 40:11)
Meditation
“Mom Guilt” by Koleen Barnes
Something I always heard about but never understood was “mom guilt.” Then I had my son. Prior to becoming a mom, mom guilt was something I knew of only from the viewpoint of a child. My mom wishing I would come home more frequently or spend more time with my family when I was in town, not going out with my friends. When my son came into the world, that all changed.
Mom guilt wasn’t coming from a mom, but was all over me because I am a mom. Nothing I did felt right. Nothing I tried was enough. Feeding, sleeping, cleaning, being a wife, a friend, a daughter, and, most of all, a mom, wasn’t enough. I gave it all I had and still felt like I was somehow coming up short. The guilt was thick and heavy on my sore body and brain. I quickly found there is no shortage of things you can feel guilty about. People will tell you to be gentle with yourself but I was not prepared for that to mean mental gentleness as well as physical.
We are lucky in this world to have an outlet—our faith. This faith in Christ tells us that the guilt is unwarranted. We were chosen for these roles in our lives specifically because we are the only ones that can do them. We are guided by Jesus and his sacrifice on the cross lifted the burden of guilt forever. Now if I would have read this paragraph freshly postpartum, I’m not sure I would have been proud of the words that went through my head. However, finding that grace and forgiveness of guilt is a bit easier when you practice turning guilt into gratefulness.
“I feel guilty for not wanting to get out of bed at night when my son wakes up” turns into “I am grateful for a healthy boy with strong lungs who knows he can rely on me.”
“I feel guilty for wanting time to myself” becomes “I am grateful that I have a support network who wants to spend time with my son.”
“I am so tired, God. My body and my mind are at their end,” changes to the prayer, “Thank you for choosing me to be his mommy. Help me raise him in the way that he should go.”
Feeling guilty is easy and feeling grateful is hard. Luckily we have Christ in our lives and his sacrifice makes the burden of guilt lighter and the mental flip to gratitude that much closer to our grasp.
Closing Prayer
Dear God, Please help us to practice turning our guilt into gratitude this holiday season. Guide us in processing these feelings and remembering your sacrifice and what you have done for us. Amen.