Repentance, Restitution, Rehabilitation

Forgiveness seems so cheap these days, the simple I'm sorry followed by the ever more trivial- it's cool. I feel like the depth is gone, left to a people that would rather"move on" than walk through it together. Forgiveness is a sacred priviledge, a moment that man gets to experience an attribute shared by God and God alone. No other creature has an opportunity to comprehend the magnitude of the act of forgiveness. We are conscious of all the offenses and consequences, we are aware of the depth of pain and still we are asked to say in essence, your relationship to the person is more important than the wrong done to you. We are expected to value others more than ourselves and our situation. We are told to love. This seem so unfair till we realize that there is an expectation that is often overlooked or passed over. The responsibility of the one who caused pain, the forgiven one, to repent, bring restitution, and rehabilitate- now we have a sacred and just balance.

To repent, turn away from a previous path, implies a heart switch. Once headed in a direction now your heart has completed the 180 and is going in the opposite direction. If your heart is now set in a direction to restore a relationship and set that course you must then move to pay back, make right what damage you physically cause in order to restore that person financially, physically, even their reputation, if your heart is right about going all the way the effort will seem right- not easy. Then the final step, rehabilitation, an on-going process to make a new life habit in the direction of obedience. This part continues on till it is a part of you and your character. No longer a cause of pain and strife but to be a giver of hope and life. A true redemption of your entire being.

So now we see the theft of true restoration through forgiveness in the " I'm over it and move on" model. We are left empty of the move of God. We rob our brothers with the simple "move on" or "I'm over it" there is really so much more, so much on both sides of the equation that we are shorted because we lack courage, and truth. No wonder we cry out like Isaiah- woe to me for I am undone. Our process of reconciling as brothers and sisters is too shallow, too instant- just add water and mix, and very, very undone. I guess God knew best... we need time to heal and process to finish and leave it done and right.

Relative to what?

What is truth is the question that Pilate asks... What is truth is also the question culture asks today, and what is it? Is it a physically reproducible expression of intelligence or process? Is it a meaningful analysis of an observation? Or is it an observable universal that is far beyond us? Is there an overarching truth that means more than our opinions, observations or pontificating? If there is a truth that is larger than us then is there a story bigger than us? Is there a meta-narrative that spans the story of man and the universe that is absolutely true above and beyond our observation and scarier beyond our comprehension? Is truth merely a sign that there is something bigger than us. A force or being so much larger and too big to control. Is this truth along with this being absolute- final in authority and infinite in knowledge? Then if it exists we must answer to it and measure our knowledge and our souls against it.

Then comes the big question, what if I fall short? What if I answer to this ultimate truth and my answer is I am just so small, too small and I must yield to this truth? If I yield will this truth move me into a greater depth or place of understanding? Will it make me more compassionate? Will it make me a better spouse or father? I believe that the answer to our soul cravings is this very question. Is God bigger than me and all of my shortfall, questions and pain? Well if I am that small and insignificant my answer doesn't matter. God's answer has been a resounding yes. I trust that yes to be bigger than me and my need, as big as the universe.