Well hello peoples! Yes, it has been a little while since my last post. Today I want to get you to think a little bit about atonement. I read this book not too long ago and it made me view the atonement a little differently. The name of the book was The Peacegiver.
Now, when I say atonement what comes to your mind? Jesus? The cross? Payment for sins? Sinner? Well, lets take a different look at atonement.
I know we all grew up learning the story of David slaying the giant with a sling shot and a stone. But, do you know what happened after that story? You know the time in-between him slaying Goliath and becoming king. Well, after he killed Goliath his fame went throughout the land. This made Saul very upset. You know he was the King of Israel at the time.
Well, Saul set out to kill David. So, David fled into the wilderness and was literally living the life of a vagabond. His companions were thieves and outlaws. They got through by guarding a rich man's sheep and shepards from neighboring people who would want to take or kill them. In return this rich man, Nabal would give David and his men provisions. So, it came to pass that David and his men were getting low on provisions. David sent a group of men to Carmel to see Nabal and ask for provisions. The men went and met with Nabal. Nabal did not give them what they needed, in fact, he mocked them. The men went to David and told him what happened. David got angry. He told the men to strap on their swords. They all started marching to Carmel to slay all of Nabal's household. Now, Nabal had a wife named Abigail. One of the servants came to Abigail and told her what her husband had done. So, she got together all sorts of provisions and loaded them on asses and went out to meet David and his men. When she saw David, she got off her ass and fell down at his feet and asked for forgiveness. WHAT?!?!
Why you ask was she asking for forgiveness. She didn't do anything. Well that is exactly what David told her. She said that she was taking all the sin on her. Hmmmmm ... sound familiar. Then she basically told David that she was taking his sin too. That he did not want to do this cause God had a future for him. WAIT... David was the one being sinned against. Right???? Well, you see as soon as David and his men sought revenge in their hearts they too sinned. Abigail was offering him a way out of his sin before he sinned more and acted on his revenge. David forgave her and her household.
Now, why did I tell you that story? Let me ask you a question. Are you in the wilderness marching to Carmel? Are you in need of an Abigail in your life?
Are you a Nabal and creating difficulty for others that someone else had to make up for? You see, Christ didn't just die for the sinner. He died for the sinned against too. Let me tell you another story.
We all have heard the story of Jonah.
God sent him to Ninevah to tell the people to repent or be destroyed. Jonah doesn't listen and tries to run from God. He eventually is swallowed by a whale. While in the belly of the whale, he prays for forgiveness. God forgives him and the whale puts him at Ninevah. Jonah tells the people and they repent. Story over! NO! Jonah was upset. You see he wanted the people to be destroyed. He thought they should not be forgiven. They were too bad. He even goes up a hill to watch God destroy them
When he doesn't he is upset. God makes this plant grow by him. then he makes it die. Jonah is upset. God pretty much tells him you would show mercy to a plant but not for these people? So, I ask you are you on a ship trying to run from God? Are you willing to extend Mercy? Are you trying to find happiness without giving up your sins? Do you know the extent of your Savior's Love?
You see he died for everyone! When we don't forgive or hold grudges we are saying that they are not worthy of mercy or grace. But, really NONE of us are!! You have to let go and forgive. Because you have been forgiven! It also causes us to miss blessings that God has in store for us! We have been forgiven and we have to forgive those who wrong us! It is just that simple. Okay well it is simple but, I didn't say it was easy! I hope I have gotten you to look at the atonement in a different light. By the Way, the story of David can be found in 1 Samuel 25 and the story of Jonah can be found in the book of Jonah! Now, I leave you with this: Are you in need of an Abigail?
