19 August 2020

I’m so glad no one can see me right now. Oh the vanity and pride of “me.” I have conjunctivitis and a blocked infected tear duct and look like I have gone five rounds with Mike Tyson. (A boxer, for those who may not know who he is.)

I walk into the shops, social distancing and mask wearing (where appropriate) but also with dark sunglasses on. Maybe I should buy a pirate eyepatch? That way I don’t scare people too much.

Oh I laugh about it actually. Here I am old enough now to have to wear glasses to read but squinting with the glasses on to see through the smear of the antibiotic eye ointment.

It has made me reflect upon how we want to be perceived, and so accepted by everyone.

I might, with a “bung” eye, cause too many people to take a step or two back from me.

But what if people could see into me and see the “Bung” areas of my life? Where I am imperfect, soiled, downright dirty even?

We see it so often in teenagers. The need to fit in and be accepted. But to be honest it is not just teenagers that want this. We all do!

That is one area where Our Lord outdoes himself. Where Jesus stands out. Jesus accepts everyone. Jesus loves everyone. Jesus looks at everyone, however we look, however we are made, however we have turned out, whatever background we come from and LOVES.

The adulterous woman is a prime example.

In Matthew 15:21-28, After being brought to Jesus, and her ‘dirty’ background shown for all to see, the Pharisees wanted Jesus to judge her. They of course were wanting to trip Jesus up on the law, they did not actually even care about this woman, but Jesus did.

Jesus did not condemn her. He saved her by his response and loved her by saying here’s another chance for you. Go, live your life that I have given back to you and sin no more. Make different choices. Go live in freedom with a new start.

He Loved her and freed her life, freed her from her past and set her into a new beginning for her future. He accepted her, but encouraged her to be, do differently.

He knew, he saw her life. He saw her ‘bunged’ eye and did not condemn her. Oh what love and acceptance. Oh what grace for a new beginning.

That is available to us all.

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:8

Did you read that? Do you hear that? While we have ‘bunged’ areas in our lives, sins, ways of living, attitudes that are not good and wholesome and perfect, Christ still loves us. Christ still died for us, for ALL who truly hear, ALL who call out to God, All who acknowledge Him as Lord and Saviour. Eternal Life will be our reward. It is offered to ALL.

Just like here Jesus offered to the woman her freedom, an eternal new life, she had to accept it.  She had to go away and sin no more. And so too do we. Do we accept? Do we accept that new life Jesus offers?

The rest of the story though is NOT this woman now living by herself, trying herself, working at her life herself. NO. It is an ongoing intimate relationship with the Saviour. With the giver of Life. An ongoing LOVE relationship where Jesus can help us and heal us in all our ‘bunged’ areas of ourselves,

So as I look into the mirror every few hours to see how the eye looks. To see if it looks worse or if it’s getting better.

(I’m being honest here, cause I do.)

I tell myself and tell Jesus. Lord help me in my other ‘bunged’ up areas of my life. Heal them and draw me ever closer to you.  May I not just walk away. May I choose to change my life, my attitudes, myself the best way I know how but also give myself more to you so you can change me.

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

Where are the ‘bung’ areas of your life?

Where does God accept you?

Are you accepting the new life Jesus gives you?