Contemplative Bible Reading

1 John 2:2 (New Living Translation)

He (Jesus) himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.

The sacrifice of Jesus atones for my sins. Wow! That is a lot. Amazing grace, as the song says.

And wait, there is more: the sacrifice of Jesus atones for the sins of all the world.

Consider this one. Jesus didn’t die just me, Jesus died for everyone else, too. EVERYONE. Yes, even that fellow who is on TV and is absolutely despicable. And that person who writes those horrible stories in the newspaper. And that person who can’t stop posting those things on Facebook. And that person who cheated my football team with that bad call last weekend. And that person who…

Yes, and all those other persons, too. Hmmm. Well surely—no, Jesus atoned for that person, too. We can’t think of a person for whom Jesus didn’t atone. If they are a person, Jesus atoned for them.

Perhaps Jesus saw something in THAT PERSON. Perhaps I should reconsider THAT PERSON. And I should pray that THAT PERSON reconsiders ME as Jesus atoned for me, too.