Why we must remember the cross, daily...

..there’s not a day in our lives that we don’t need to be forgiven and we will never graduate from our need for grace until we reach the consummation of our sanctification.  For every person who has trusted Christ, God's wrath was appeased on the sinless flesh of His Son.  We are in Christ, Christ is in us, and we are wrapped in His righteousness.  The love and grace of God has been poured out into our hearts.  His love and grace continues to wash over us and through us and in us, in a never-ending flow.  When we are sinned against, we need to go immediately to this continuous flow of grace.  It is from this flow of grace to us that we draw mercy and grace for others.  It is into this flow of grace which we must place the seeds of anger and malice for the wrongs committed against us, that can take root in our hearts, sprouting into bitterness and finally into unforgiveness.  Those seeds will never make it to the ears of another when placed in the flow of grace.  It is in this continual flow of grace from which we draw a forbearing and forgiving spirit.  It is from this flow of grace that we overcome evil with good.  When reviled, we can say we are hurt by the words, but we still choose to love, we don't revile in return.  Are you holding a grudge?  Withholding forgiveness?  Remember this lavish flow of beautiful grace continually washing over you, with it's origins at the cross, where Jesus was crushed by the fury of the wrath of God for an eternity's worth of your sin, and mine.