A Life Worthy

Tag: forgiveness

  • One-a-Day Wednesday, 12/10/14

    number 1Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors   (Matthew 6:9-12). 

    Depending on your translation, this could read debts, or this could read trespasses.  Either way, it amounts to the same thing: we’re in the wrong, and there is no way we can dig ourselves out.

    The story that comes to mind is from Matthew 18.  Jesus tells of a man—let’s call him Michael—who owed his king a ginormous amount of money, more than he could ever hope to repay.  The king, out of his own goodness, cancelled the debt.  Michael danced the boogie dance of delight.  Later, Michael encountered a fellow servant who owed him a few bucks.  Michael was brutal toward his fellow servant, showing no mercy whatsoever.  When the king found out about Michael’s behavior he was, shall we say, unhappy in the extreme.

    Yeah, so on second thought, let’s not call him Michael, hmm?

    Beloved, as you wend your way through Wednesday, you will encounter people who desperately need a smack upside the head.  Please remember that, even more than a smack, they need grace.

    As do you, Beloved.

    As do we all.

    Happy Wednesday.

  • One-a-Day Monday 6/2/14

    number 1Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you  (Eph. 4:32).

    There’s an interesting thing about forgiveness.  It works for the forgiver as powerfully as for the forgivee.

    Some of us—and by that I mean me—have trouble in the forgiveness department. Oh, we’re pretty good about forgiving those who apologize to us.  We can be gracious and charitable—no problem.  But as you know, most people who offend you don’t apologize.

    Because they’re jerks.

    And yet we’re called to forgive them anyway.  The passage says, “Forgiving…just as in Christ God forgave you.”  He didn’t wait for us to apologize before acting to forgive us. If he had, he would have been waiting forever, which he could do, because he’s eternal, but what’s the point of that when we never would have made the first step?  Romans 5:8 says that, “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  While we were still hurting him, he was offering forgiveness.

    Does this kind of forgiveness heal the relationship?  Not necessarily.  The offender needs to acknowledge their sin and accept the gift of forgiveness in order for that to happen.  Kind of exactly like it is with the sinner and God.  But forgiveness does more than release the offender from guilt; it releases the offended from bitterness.  Forgive, as an act of obedience to God, and you are free to move on, regardless of what the other person does.

    If you need to forgive someone today, I humbly suggest that you follow God’s command and forgive.  They hurt you once; don’t give them the power to hurt you over and over again.

    There’s no one in your life you need to forgive?

    Seriously?

    Gird your loins, Beloved.  It’s only a matter of time.

     

     

  • One-a-Day Monday 10/21/13

    number 1Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.  (Eph. 4:32)

    There’s an interesting thing about forgiveness.  It works for the forgiver as powerfully as for the forgivee.

    Some of us—by that I mean me—have trouble in the forgiveness department. Oh, we’re pretty good about forgiving those who apologize to us.  We can be gracious and charitable—no problem.  But as you know, most people who offend you don’t apologize.

    Because they’re jerks.

    And yet we’re called to forgive them anyway.  The passage says, “Forgiving…just as in Christ God forgave you.”  He didn’t wait for us to apologize before acting to forgive us. If he had, he would have been waiting forever, which he could do, because he’s eternal, but what’s the point of that when we never would have made the first step?  Romans 5:8 says that, “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  While we were still hurting him, he was offering forgiveness.

    Does this kind of forgiveness heal the relationship?  Not necessarily.  The offender needs to acknowledge their sin and accept the gift of forgiveness in order for that to happen.  Kind of exactly like it was with you and God.  But forgiveness does more than release the offender from guilt; it releases the offended from bitterness.  Forgive, as an act of obedience to God, and you are free to move on, regardless of what the other person does.

    If you need to forgive someone today, may I humbly suggest that you follow God’s command and forgive.  They hurt you once; don’t give them the power to hurt you over and over again.

    There’s no one in your life you need to forgive?  Don’t worry; you’ll get your chance.  It’s only a matter of time.