Forgiveness

I dreamt last night,
oh marvellous error,
that there were honeybees in my heart,
making honey out of my old failures.
-Antonio Machado

While sitting in Old Testament Literature it rushed upon me and crashed like a swelling wave. My story of rejection is God's story of rejection. The story of God's relationship with humans is a story of a broken relationship. He forms a relationship with his soul mates and they go behind his back and betray him, he's angry and he's hurt and he's tempted to completely throw them out forever. But he knows what's holy, and he wants to forgive them so he keeps his relationship with Noah and stays faithful to these people as they wrong him over and over again. He never stops pursuing the renewal of that relationship. He continues to help us, forgive us-which is a process, teach us what's right and how to relate to him-while still allowing us the free space to be ourselves and have our own personalities. I have gone through so many relationships with people that have ended in being wronged and rejected, and that is also the way it is with God. He is searching for that renewal with us. The woman searching for the coin: God searching not just for us but for the renewal and forgiveness of the relationship between each one of us. If God is that example to me, than how much more should I seek out doing the same with others? How much more should I seek out PEACE? The King forgives the servant and I the servant need to forgive my fellow servant.

It's language that I've heard before. All themes that have been presented to me in the past about renewal and forgiveness, but it was never so personal as when I realized that I am to God as all the people I've been battling to forgive are to me. God's relationship with me became much more real, and the state of our relationship and what him and I are working toward became much more clear.

God opens our eyes. He gives and he takes away in Good time.

9/2/11

I found that quote in the art gallery at our school at the new exhibition. I think God has placed honeybees in my heart that seemed like the turmoil of failed friendships and are now creating honey out of my past.