In short, I need to take my role as priest standing between the sinner and the offended God and beg for mercy and blessing on the offender. This should be so peculiar that the world watching me concludes that there MUST BE A GOD because Verle could never be like that on his own!
I should remember to appeal to and plead with God, for my struggling neighbors, on the basis of how his reputation will be uplifted and upheld by his working in the lives of my brethren and enemies in his own marvelous way. My view of their messed up condition should result in my pointing out, “Boy, God you could sure get a lot of glory if you fix that mess!” and not ” How can you inflict such an awful person on me?” When I come before his throne to plead for others it is not because I am so great myself but that, since he has been merciful to me, the chief of sinners, I am confident to believe that he willing to be merciful to these runners-up sinners.
If this approach to life doesn’t make me a peculiar priest-nothing will.
If I focus on asking God to bless others, especially the others involved in the situation that I happen to be angry about or am worrying about, it will bring me the unexplainable peace of God that “passes understanding”.
Daniel as priest: DANIEL 9 18 for I do not present my supplications before thee for my righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies.19 O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.20 And whiles I was speaking, and praying, and confessing MY sin and the sin of my people Americans, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God for the holy mountain of my God; he came forth to give me skill and understanding.
Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.
Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
Numbers 14:11 Moses as priest: And the Lord said unto Moses, How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have shewed among them?12 I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of thee a greater nation and mightier than they.13 And Moses said unto the Lord, Then the Egyptians shall hear it, (for thou broughtest up this people in thy might from among them;)14 And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land: for they have heard that thou Lord art among this people, that thou Lord art seen face to face, and that thy cloud standeth over them, and that thou goest before them, by day time in a pillar of a cloud, and in a pillar of fire by night.15 Now if thou shalt kill all this people as one man, then the nations which have heard the fame of thee will speak, saying,16 Because the Lord was not able to bring this people into the land which he sware unto them, therefore he hath slain them in the wilderness.17 And now, I beseech thee, let the power of my lord be great, according as thou hast spoken, saying,18 The Lord is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.19 Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of thy mercy, and as thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.20 And the Lord said, I have pardoned according to thy word:
This is so timely (it often is!) I will print it for a friend who doesn’t do computers, and forward it to others.I’m reading a book by John and Carol Arnott called Grace and Forgiveness, and this just confirms everything they write.