We celebrated with a group of friends and dinner together! It was a lot fun. I enjoy celebrating these holidays, not just for the sake of extra holidays, but they seem to be very applicable to New Testament as well.
It is a celebration of new starts and making things right. From my understanding it starts a season of making things right with each other before Yom Kippur - the day of Judgement. It is a time of celebration, but also has a piece of introspection attached to it.
This music video might give you an idea of what Rosh Hashannah is celebrating
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlcxEDy-lr0&feature=youtu.be
It is hard. It is more than I'm sorry, it is more than pretending it is alright. It is a deep down heart change that refuses to look at that person as an enemy but pleads with God to let me see that person as God sees them. And however long that process takes, however painful that it is, pursuing that perspective until when I think of that person I think of them I no longer think of them with the hurt they caused, but as one loved by God.
When I neglect to extend forgiveness I have neglected to recognize that they are also a child of God. I have forgotten that I too was in that place totally undeserving of grace. In a way it requires humbleness to forgive, because to truly forgive is because we have been forgiven first.
1 John 4:19 We love because Christ first loved us.
All too often I don't pursue or reject forgiving, I just ignore it. I avoid confrontation. I would rather just pretend it didn't exist and walk away and maybe someday it will all be better. But as a Christian, covered by the grace of God's love I'm called to extend it to others. Maybe the grace they see from me is the only shadow of God's grace they will see, and to cover them in that shadow I must be close to them.
These thought have been rolling around in my mind over the past couple years as I struggle and learn more about forgiveness and God's love. It is easy to say these thing as concepts, just like the rich man with whom Jesus talked could accept the command 'love your neighbour'. But the part that he struggled with was when it was further define who his 'neighbour' was.
What if God loves... the perpetrator of evil?
What if God loves... the radical terrorist?
What if God loves... the government who is allowing so much injustice?
What if God loves... the one who hurt your family or friend?
What if God loves... the one who hurt you?
What if God loves... the one who is still hurting?
What if God loves... the person I hate?
What if God loves... me?
God does.
Forgiveness is not justifying their actions. It is not saying that it is ok! God never said, "It's all ok" he said, "go and sin no more". If we stop counting their actions and starting asking how God ought to have us love them then maybe we can start in a better place. Maybe the best way to love someone who is hurting you or who has hurt you includes setting up and supporting appropriate boundaries like not being alone with them. Maybe it includes taking a stand and voicing the truth. But above all, it is to seek restoration rather than retribution.
In any case, if we want to truly love and extend God's grace to our neighbours, it is not going to be a cookie cutter "I'm sorry" and "I forgive you". It seeks the best for them, it seeks to love them as Christ loves them. It is to desperately pursue a perspective that they are actively loved by God and to respond to them in an appropriate manner.
Sometime I see or hear of people who feel ostracized from a Christian communities because of their past or their history. Their participation and freedom is limited, instead of finding ways to welcome and support them. All the while they are told that God can save everyone - and even the vilest murder can be accepted into the Kingdom of Heaven, but they fail to be accepted them into the kingdom of heaven here on earth. So, either we don't really believe that they will be accepted (Romans 10:13), or we don't believe that the kingdom of heaven is here (Luke 17:21).
I want to see more communities that embraces the truth that God change hearts and celebrated that God makes beautiful things out of our broken pieces.
It is hard. But within that difficulty I have learned more about God's love for me in ways I can't describe, and the value of forgiveness, both towards me and from me.
This might be some heavy thoughts at a time of celebration. But rejoice in this, if you have accepted Christ, you are covered by his grace. You are forgiven, and if those are just words, ask that He shows you value of that forgiveness. As we understand and can rejoice in the grace that covers us, let us freely give.
As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give. Matthew 10:7-8
