Well, it is now the evening after the Day of Atonement. I did not keep it as a religious Jew would. I did not fast and take the day off from work. I did reflect on my life, and my need for the daily atonement of my Messiah. I am so thankful that I do not have to live in dread of dying in my sin before my next chance for atonement. I do wonder, though, if this constant opportunity for forgiveness makes me take it too lightly.

Does the ability to instantly confess and repent and the assurance of forgiveness make me take my sins too lightly? Do I sin too flippantly, forgetting the price of my transgressions and the pain I cause my Father, and the distance that it places in my relationship with Him. It saddens me to think of the sins that I have allowed myself to rationalize. I have settled for a pretty good relationship with God, rather than striving to know Him as I am known by Him.

Lord, I confess that I have not revered You as Holy. I have not had the view of sin that You have. I have been satisfied to walk away and come back too often, rather than settling in to You and looking to please You with my life. Father, I thank You for Your grace, so freely extended to me, but so costly to You and Your Son. Draw me into Your heart and allow me to correct my oft too flippant view of my own transgressions of Your will. Thank You for Your love. I know I cannot ever return this love in even small measure without Your hand reaching down and empowering me to live the life You created me for. I love You, Abba.

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I also came across this video from the British “Chief Rabbi”. It speaks to some history of modern Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) practice, and at the end turns to problems that sound very Christian in nature … how do we pass on faith to our kids? Ethnic Judaism is automatically passed on, but Jews are encountering problems with young people leaving the faith of religious Judaism. Enjoy.

Chief Rabbi’s Yom Kippur Greeting