Freely you have received: freely give

And in Jesus’ name I come to you

To share his love as he told me to. Carol Owens

 

Read John 20:19—23

Not everyone I know is going to sleep tonight assured of the forgiveness of their sins. Some of them are going to bed nursing resentments, too, because they cannot forgive the sins of others. Here am I, getting ready for bed. I read the words of Jesus, spoken after he had died for the sin of the world. He took such responsibility for the world’s sin on the cross that everyone I know, myself included, can be released, wonderfully. No one need live out the final consequences of their own actions to the bitter conclusion. All because of Jesus’ great act of kindness. Now I am promised that he has given me his Spirit so that these things can be brought to a harvest in people’s lives, so that I can make this known in Jesus’ name, not on my own say-so.

Prayer
Lord, this night I thank you again for bearing the sin of the world. I thank you for the forgiveness of my sin. I thank you for the promise of forgiveness that you offer to those you lead me to meet and to know and to talk with about the things of God. I thank you for the promised presence of the Holy Spirit. May the Spirit steer my course and prompt me so that even in my unplanned conversations I will be an instrument of your peace. May I point others to the glorious liberty they, too, can have as the children of God.[1]

[1] Romans 8:21