“‘The Lord is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.’”
Numbers 14:18 New International Version (NIV)

“I didn’t know it would break!”

My son and I fondly reminisce about how often he said that when he was younger. I’d find a broken coffee mug, a chipped lamp, or an electric item with its severed cord nearby. When I’d ask him about it, that was usually his response.

When the breakage was minor, I could find a new purpose for the item. This creamer, whose handle was broken and lost, is now a pencil cup. I turned the broken handle to the back, and the imperfection is less visible.

Once, the item was a favorite coffee mug, and I was sad that I could no longer enjoy using it. A couple of weeks later, my son surprised me with a new coffee mug that he’d saved his allowance to purchase.

The Old Testament in God’s Word contains numerous passages about sin and atonement, along with rituals about the process of making atonement to God and to others. Jesus came to us as the ultimate atonement for our sins, and by his death and resurrection we are made right with God. When we repent of our sins, and take them to the Cross, God in his steadfast love forgives us.

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8 NIV

We can not atone for our sins above and beyond what the Cross has already done. We can take the atonement from the Cross to seek reconciliation with those around us. Even if mutual forgiveness is not possible, forgiving others for hurting us can bring peace to our days.

My son sought reconciliation with a new coffee mug. He was forgiven, anyway.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado