Feb 26 2008
Tuesday February 26, 2008
Reading for today: Genesis 17:1-14, Matthew 18:21-35
Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? till seven times?” Matthew 18:21.
How many of us are holding grudges against someone, and haven’t yet forgiven them? Jesus said we are to forgive seventy times seven - as many times as it takes! Christ forgave us completely when He died on the cross, and when we harbor feelings of bitterness and anger against someone we dishonor the love Christ showed when He died for us.
The Lord taught me a very difficult lesson very early on in my walk as it was the first time in my life that I had expereinced real hate towards a person. This person had hurt me beyound any hurt that I have ever felt yet He was calling me to forgive them and trust Him to defend me in the siuation. I came to a place of forgiveness towards them though it was a far greater challenge then I had ever thought it could be and it was clearly in His strength that I was going to forgive not in my own. As I saught Him daily in this my heart softened as I prayed for this person and the Lord brought me to the place in my heart of total forgiveness and even compassion towards this person. He eventually gave me an opportunity to express this forgiveness and clearly showed me that He defended me by the sorrowful actions which was humbly given back to me.
It is spiritually unhealthy for us to carry unforgiveness and it is far wiser to allow God to tend to these tender situations then to try to handle them on our own. He is faithful to defend us just as He is faithful to love each of us everytime we come before Him to ask for that same forgiveness that He asked me to give to this person who was and still is nothing more than a sinner just as I am myself.
Thank You for Your love and deep compassion towards us Father. May we walk in that same love and compassion toward all man and when it becomes difficult may we lean on Your strength and faithfulness to see us through and that we would allow you to do the tender work only You can do in our hearts.
It’s really hard to forgive those who hurt us I think of time when two family members of my where in a quarrel and to this day they can’t even talk to each other. The crazy thing is that for ones unforgiveness lead to the other one to not forgive him. As time went on that seed of unforgiveness just kept growing and instead of those two not forgive each other lead to a separation of five of these people I love so dearly now. it’s crazy to think we were all tight and always had laughs and had good times but when you listen to any of them talk they use these word Like I hate them and even at times that if that person would get in there face, they have feeling of wanting to just punching them. It’s crazy and sad to see families split like this and to think Jesus’ whole purpose for coming is to forgive us are sins so who are we to harbor such a thought and if we do, we need to come to that thrown of grace and ask Him to help us through it. It is hard I remember not long ago having feelings like that towards someone for reason that would be alright in the sight of the world. It took a lot to do it and even know every now and then those thought come to mind I have to capture them and give them to the Lord. Lets not face these times of unforgiveness with out are Lord. God Bless you all
Hmmm, seventy times seven. Surely this is not an exact counting of how many times the Lord will forgive us, too, right? I’ve definitely exceeded 490 sins since becoming a Christian! I’m so desperately thankful that Jesus doesn’t have a chart on the wall for me and keep tracking my sins so as to count them, and then finally count me out!
Since He is willing to keep on forgiving me (mercy) and blessing me in spite of myself (grace), then the least I can do is try to offer this same kind of heart toward my brothers & sisters. Since it takes the heart of God to treat me so graciously, then I must depend on the heart of God to help me love others like that, too. I can’t do it own my own. Honestly, most days I don’t even feel like trying to, but I know that this mindset is not peasing to our Father, and so I pray for an attitude adjustment!
I am trying to be conformed into the image of Christ, aren’t I? Aren’t we all???