Make Amends

    Have you ever done something (intentional or unintentional) that has hurt another person?  Do you remember what it felt like to want to make things right?  Do you remember wishing that you could take it back?  One of the worst things in life is knowing that once something is done it can't be undone.  Once something is said, it can never be unsaid.  The wounds are real.

    The Hebrews were unfaithful and had their dreams taken from them.  They were not remorseful over their unfaithfulness, but because of the consequences.  That is okay.  It is how the growing begins.  Being remorseful for the deed comes later.  They wanted to make amends with God in hopes that He may change His mind.  The true repentant heart probably came much later after getting a new perspective over time.  

    They made offerings to God because that is what they had been taught to do if they had sinned.  Each person had to accept responsibility for their part in it.  They began with going over God's standards again.  

    If you have done something wrong, but you don't really understand what you did that was wrong it is always good to go back over the rules and regulations to figure it out instead of becoming defensive.  In relationships it is not always that easy.  There are unspoken cultural, men, and women rules that require talking through it.

    The point is to live your life for God.  We should do all we can to remember what He expects from us.  If we live this way, then we are not likely to hurt people carelessly.  However, we are all human and we do hurt people along the way.  Remember when people hurt you and how it felt.  Use that memory to motivate you to fix things with others.  Remember how God has forgiven you and use that as motivation.

Numbers 15