18 March 2020

I was watching a medical show on television. You know the usual kind where every week different scenarios are presented. Medically, it could be an emergency and someone needs an operation straight away. Then there is another scene where a long-term patient has further bad news from the last scans. 

Then the camera pans to a room where a young patient is with her parents. A doctor walks in and tells them news they have been longing to hear. “The cancer is in remission.”

Oh, what joy on everyone’s face. What delight is in the hugs and smiles. All of their lives have just been given back to them.

I sat in my lounge room, tears streaming down my face. Tears of joy for the family, for I had been watching this television series for a few weeks and had fallen in love with the characters. 

That word ‘remission’ can be so powerful when said. 

It may only be a temporary diminution of the severity of the disease or pain but generally means the disease or the cancer is under control or shrinking, disappearing with the treatment that is occurring. 

I was doing my daily scripture reading and came across the same powerful word – Remission.

After the Holy Spirit had come upon the apostles and Peter was preaching to the crowds in Acts 2:37-38:

“…….now when they had heard these things, they were contrite in heart, and they said to Peter and to the other Apostles: What should we do, noble brothers? Yet truly, Peter said to them do penance and be baptized, each one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins. And you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

I sat stunned. That word.

Remission. Shrinking, disappearing of our sins in the name of Jesus Christ. By what Jesus Christ has done for us. 

His death on the cross has taken ALL of our sins away forever. NOT just temporary. NOT just while our behaviour, our ‘treatments’ or our therapies are working, but “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

Out of love for us, our sins have gone, have been extinguished because of Christ’s sacrifice. I was overwhelmed by the love of my God that He has come into everyone’s room and told them the good news. “You are in remission. Your life has been given back to you.”

And that’s the other meaning of the word – remission- the cancellation of a debt, charge or penalty. 

Jesus paid our debt. He has given us ‘our life to the full.’ And on top of that as the promise states in Acts 2, will then send the Holy Spirit, another gift to mankind.

I once again had tears in my eyes. This was not a make-believe TV show, with fake characters and a storyline. This WAS TRUE REALITY! Oh, so true reality that affects my total life, affects my existence, my forever future. 

I, we, have all been given this amazing gift without having to do anything ourselves but to believe and accept it. 

May these jottings from my journal inspire you to believe in and fall in love with Christ- the hope of the world, as stated in Jeremiah 17:7, ‘Blessed is the man who believes and trusts in and relies on the Lord and whose hope and confident expectation is the Lord!’

Love

Rosemary

Every week groups of ladies meet together to chat about the things I raise in my weekly blog post and to chat about life in general. We call these ‘Heart Connect’ groups. If you would like more information please click HERE.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Does the word ‘remission’ attached to the word ‘sin’ bring you joy and tears of celebration like if you were told ‘your cancer is in remission’?

Even though we were sinners, Christ still died for us. We are called to live like Christ. In this time of Lent, are there people in your life that you can lay your life down for even though they may not treat you as you should be treated?

God promised to send the Holy Spirit to us. How can you see the Holy Spirit moving in your life?