Forgiveness 7: a journey into forgiving others

Forgiveness 7: a journey into forgiving others

Matthew 6:15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses

So far we have seen that finding forgiveness involves, accepting responsibility, self examination, honesty, confession of sin, full acceptance of that forgiveness given by God, and forgiveness of self. Once we forgive ourselves we must take this healing one step further. The principle clearly becomes, if God can forgive me, I can forgive myself. And if God can forgive me then I can forgive others. However, just as forgiveness of self is hard so is the complicated journey of forgiving others. Reasons for ignoring God's forgiveness principles include, you don't know what they did to me. They have not shown true remorse, just to name a few. The problems with forgiving others can become very complicated. In may of 2010,
According to an article by Melissa Davies, a teenager lost control in Christchurch and hit and killed a four year old child. The mother said she forgives the teenager. She admits though it would be harder if the teen had been racing or drunk. Amazing, the very fact that this mother can forgive such a tragic situation shows the power of the divine. Human nature seeks revenge only the divine nature seeks forgiveness.
In another tragedy, similar events took the life of a road construction worker in 2009. The mother stated, " my faith helps me forgive but I also want justice for my daughter. I don't question God because he has a purpose for everything that he does. It hurts when you loose your mom and dad but nothing compares to lose a child that's the worst pain you could ever have,"
What complicates this story is that the young man fled the scene. If it had not been for civilian good samaritans the perpetrator would not been caught. And to complicate matters further the young man who had already been charged 3 times for drunken driving posted bail and walked in Aug 2009. Forgiveness in such trial could be nearly impossible. If forgiveness is given and received two people are free. If just the one injured forgives at least they are free. Forgiveness cost pride, fear, bondage and the right of revenge. Unforgiveness costs a lifetime of being tied to that moment, trapped in bondage, filled with hurt, fear that colors all that you touch, breathe or think for the rest of your life. Forgiveness not only frees the sinner but it also frees the victim as well. Even our Lord cried from the cross, Father forgive them for they know not what they do.

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forgiveness 5: a journey into forgiveness of self

Forgiveness 5: a journey into forgiveness of self.
Proverbs 20:9 Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?
One of the toughest parts of the journey towards forgiveness comes when God forgives us but we allow memory to keep us in bondage to guilt that God has already cleansed. Self examination
leads towards confession but self incrimination after forgiveness leads to fear, self loathing, and an inability to properly relate with others. We may say outwardly that we are sorry for our sin and truly may be sorry. That repentant heart towards God found forgiveness for King David. However when we are alone with ourselves in our own mind, invariably we revisit our guilt, incriminating ourselves returning to selfloathing. This defeated view hinders us in loving and forgiving others. Remember what God declares clean is clean.(Acts 10:15; 1 john 1:9)

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forgiveness 4: a journey into confession

Forgiveness 4: a journey into confession
Psalms 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
King David appeared on the scene of Israelites trial almost messianic in nature. After defeating Goliath,he eventually becomes king. He, described as a man
after Gods own heart, failed to avoid sin by being unfaithful as commander of Israeli armies. When he should have been at war, he finds himself lusting after Bathsheba from his rooftop vantage. He takes her and has his way with her, like a recent president stated, "because he could." (An interview with Bill Clinton by Dan Rather).
In an effort to hide his sin, David plied his faithful captain uriah, with liquor in an attempt to make him sleep with his wife. Failing to follow David's futile attempt to cover Bathsheba's pregnancy, Uriah shows his commitment to David and his company of soldiers by staying with them instead of taking leave with his wife. Uriah felt he should not have leave if his men did not get leave. Ultimately David killed uriah, by ordering him to the front lines where this faithful man was killed. Like us, David thought he had covered his tracks. The problem for David, is that God sees all and knows all. After Nathan the prophet confronted David, he repented, and cried out to God, confessing his sin, and asking for a clean heart that only comes from God's forgiveness.
This psalm, David's prayer recorded for us today, maps the path we all need to take when we find we too have sinned.

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forgiveness part 2: a journey into self examination

Forgiveness: a journey in self examination.

And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door....(Genesis 4:6-7)

God blessed our first parents with a couple of boys, Cain and Abel. Being carefully taught worship by their parents, as grown men they offered their worship to God. However, God did not accept Cain's sacrifice but did accept Abel's offering. Cain's offering came as prideful from the works of his own hands, did not represent his best, and did not follow Gods prescription seen in the innocent animal blood shed in the garden. God, warns Cain that sin awaits him if he does not correct his actions. God tells him that if he does good he will be accepted. Jesus teaches that a heart of anger out of control mirrors a murderous actions. James the half brother of Christ teaches that anger can be right only if it is towards the right object. Cain could have listened as God spoke to his conscience and turned from the option of sin to correct his mistakes in worship. Ultimately Cain fails to correct his actions and kills his brother in the field. Our own journey towards forgiveness must begin with a conversation with God. As he did with Cain, he warns us before we sin through conscience, words from friends, and family, the personal ministry of the holy spirit, and scripture. If we like Cain fail to listen to Gods warnings and we yield to sin, only trouble can result. Sadly, it is rare indeed that anyone says, the problem begins with me.Once the sin is committed forgiveness and a change of will can result in the peace of forgiveness.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9.

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to hear his voice

I Kings 19:12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

Mother Teresa said once, "We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature trees, flowers, grass- grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence... We need silence to be able to touch souls". She understood what elijah just learned in this passage. He was running for his life. He felt like he was left all alone with no one else to serve God. He needed guidance. Too often when we need to hear from God; we look in the wrong places, like the storm, or other signs. When if we are to hear clearly we just need to get alone with him and his word away from all the sounds and hustle of the world. That is exactly how Jesus would do it. He would go to a mountain alone, or to an olive garden and pray. Remember he instructed us that when we pray we should enter into our closet, (away from distractions) to talk to God in secret. The noise of tv, life, people, and our bustle often distracts our hearts from truly hearing the still small voice of the Lord.

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may those who come behind us find us faithful

may those who come behind us find us faithful.
II Timothy 4:11 Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.

Think back to your childhood. Do you remember the person who first told you about Jesus? They may or may not be the one ultimately led you to Christ. Think of the gospel progression in your life. All of those people should be valuable. They are the links chaining back throughout time of God's redemptive act in your life. Now think of those people who were your first teachers of grace. Demas learned from great privilege. His Spiritual lineage included doctor Luke and the Apostle Paul. At the very least Paul's lineage connected him through Annais and Stephen to the first church, through the apostles right back to Christ. What a heritage. However this preacher who had accompanied such noble mentors had more love for the world than ministry. He turned his back on Paul and left him and Luke
Do you take for granted those God has given to you throughout your life? Have you forgotten the value of the mentors who have crossed your paths? Don't take for granted your spiritual heritage and don't forget to mentor others and leave a legacy behind you.

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a journey back into the light

Psalms 40:1-3 I waited patiently for the LORD;.... He brought me up also out of a horrible pit,... And he hath put a new song in my mouth,....
Helen Keller, born some 131 years ago began life very normal and brought bright promise to her family. One day however she began to slip into a darkness and a silence that few know. For some reason she became blind, deaf and dumb. She, through extensive sacrifice was able to learn to communicate and by the time I was born she even spoke by radio. She knew how God had brought her out of the darkness of her mortgage pit. He gave her a new song. Looking forward like David she saw an even brighter day.
"Discouraged not by difficulties without, or the anguish of ages within, the heart listens to a secret voice that whispers: "Be not dismayed; in the future lies the Promised Land." Helen Keller.
May we, if we notice our day begining a journey into darkness, find the strength of God lifting us out of the miry pit to stand on his rock. May we find our voice as Helen did to sing a new song of the promised land.

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