FOG

Family of Origin. FoG We had a discussion this morning around the breakfast table about it. Families are messy. There is this thing called "sin nature" that runs through them. It is like a venomous snake, whipping its tail this way then that, and blazing a path of personality types, apples close to trees and hurt that can not be measured. It leaps from one generation to the next in a seemingly random pattern, giving a tendancy to manipulate to this one, a tendancy towards passivity to that one, an inability to trust here, an ability to abuse there. It does get a bit foggy trying to figure out who you are and how to heal hurts and not hurt the next generation.

And in the midst of all of this He stands. He is the one with the sketchy family tree on one side and God "on the other." Jesus. He reigns supreme as Lord of the FoG. He is the One we can all look to as we stand in it, or sit, or lay because we can not get up and deal with them anymore. He is the one who causes us to continue to forgive.

I am learning that forgiveness is not a "happening." It is not a process. It is a lifelong recovery. You need to keep on forgiving. That is what Jesus does. He keeps on forgiving. Not just for our new sins, but for the old ones. He keeps on bearing that cost; not mentioning it any more; not reminding us. That is continual forgivness. It is active. Not done and put on the shelf. If we forgive that way, the box will get dusty.

So, as we worship this weekend, I am going to be thankful for his continual forgiveness and learn to practice it in Him. In and of myself I can not hold it up and forgive. In Him I can. Blessings!