Monday, March 26, 2012

Receiving Forgiveness

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins
1 John 1:9a
Last week, I did the unthinkable. I was at my parent’s house as usual and as in times past, I took my father’s bird cage out to their deck to clean it. I carefully set the cage down on top of the table and turned my back on it as I took the plastic bag where I intended to place the trash. When I returned and got close to the cage, the birds started flying frantically inside. That was their typical behaviour and it didn’t cause me any alarm until the smaller of the two flew right out of the cage’s open door and took off east like a rocket. I was horrified and just managed to stop the other one from flying out as well as I used my hand to block the open door. I quickly latched the door shut and prayed that the other one would come back as I looked out to the sky where it took off.

I was aghast. How could I possibly miss seeing the open door? What if the budgie never came back? What would my father say? Would he scold me? I didn’t know how he’d react to me but I was certain he’d be grief stricken. His pets (he had fish and two turtles, too) were all precious to him. If he ever leaves his house for a few days, he’d call to make sure someone’s feeding his pets. Surely, he’d be saddened by what happened. I lingered outside and prayed for that bird to miraculously fly back. The one left was visibly agitated and was saying so in no uncertain terms! I decided that it was good for us to remain outside so that his chattering would call the other one back. It didn't work. Several minutes later, I came back in and decided to tell my father the grim news.

I said I was sorry and explained that one of his birds flew off. “Huh? That bird’s going to die out there!” was all he said as he quickly went outside to do what I’d done for the last half hour: look up at the sky and the bare branches of the trees all around in the hopes of finding it. I prayed some more but that bird had other ideas than flying back home. Slowly, my father gave up hope and turned around to look at his car which was just parked to the right of where we were standing. He’d been lending the car to me to use. The week before, Eng drove it and rear ended another car. My father’s car now had a dent in the front bumper and I’d been trying to figure out how best to tell him that it was so. It was why I was distracted at the task of cleaning the cage. It was also my way of stalling from telling him yet about the car accident. The reason for my hesitance is because aside from people, my father only loves two things: his pets and his car. As it turns out, he saw the dent and asked how it got there and added "Were you in an accident?"

I sheepishly added that it was another thing I wanted to let him know about. My father didn’t say anything but proceeded to go to the car and inspect the damage. While he was checking it, Eng phoned. Eng apologized also and I anxiously waited for my father to say more but all he said was, “It’s ok, don’t worry about it.”

If my father could easily forgive about the bird and the car after finding out just seconds apart, would our heavenly father do any less? He is by far holier and good. He is faithful and just, too. He forgives us, EASILY! Can we receive His forgiveness?

I must and I do. Will you do the same?

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