I just returned from being outside with our two dogs. What a nice morning to be outdoors. I refilled my cup with Door County Lemon Shortbread Cookie Coffee and now it is time to write.
The one subject I cover more in one year than any other topic is the one of forgiving others. Clearly it is a difficult subject for people because it usually, if not always comes with emotional pain and just plain old anger. Forgiveness does't make sense. The picture above is of me as a baby, giving the photographer that look of "take one more picture fool and see where that camera ends up". I forgave him many years ago. He lived to annoy some other kid.
Luke 6:37 Judge not and you will not be judged, condemn not and you will not be condemned , forgive and you will be forgiven.
I pondered forgiving someone for hurting me. The way I am wired, my natural reaction when physically slapped is to open up a 5 pound can of whoop butt on the person who slapped me. I always say "I don't get even. I get more". Stop right here and take note. That is not what God desires and expects from us. I will say it again. Naturally, forgiveness doesn't make sense.
For instance, take a cheating spouse who has defiled the marriage bed. According to the New Testament they violated partner has grounds for a divorce. I have seen scorned people draw the line right there and go for a divorce which they have Biblical support to do so. Yet I have asked those who seek counsel with me to not seek that route, but to go they high road of forgiving. They look at me full of dismay and anger and say " That doesn't make sense". No, to the natural man or woman it doesn't make sense, but to the spiritual man or woman it should make sense.
I have actually witnessed forgiving a cheating spouse and reuniting a family work if the one who is seeking forgiveness is contrite and fully honest. It takes a humble and contrite heart before the Lord to seek lasting peace with the partner who was wronged. It takes a long time to earn that trust back.
Now for the one who was asked to forgive . It just doesn't make sense. They want justice and pain to be metered out with flogging and public shame. To them and many others this makes all the sense in the world. They want to cut ties and load up their heart with hate and just wait for the world to crash down on the one who cheated. Makes sense to me, but then I am the village idiot at times. Recall, that at the age of one I needed counseling to be able to deal with those who took a picture of me in my diaper. Just kidding, a little levity on a difficult subject.
Isaiah 55:8-9 For my thoughts are not your thoughts. Nor are my ways your ways declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher that the Earth, so are my thoughts higher than your thoughts and my ways higher that your ways.
It doesn't make sense to God. You see my friends God has no sin. He cannot sin. He won't sin and He hates sin. We have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Yet while we were sinners Jesus died for our sins that we might be atoned. When we ask to be forgiven, we are. If you counted up all the sins of your life, yes stealing some candy as a kid was a sin, the list wold be very long. God wipes away those sins when we in the name of Jesus ask to be forgiven. We present ourselves humbly and with broken hearts to God. God expects us to forgive others as He forgives us.
I told you that it doesn't make sense. But God's thoughts are higher than our thoughts. If He can forgive all the sins that put His Son on a cross of crucifixion, we should be able to forgive others and take that higher road.
This is a lot to think about this morning. But there is someone out there that you need to forgive today. It doesn't make sense to us. But neither does carrying a heart loaded with pain and anger. If you are the one who needs to be forgiven, get right with God first and then seek forgiveness from the one you offended. But don't do it unless you mean it. Humble and contrite is one who approaches another to be forgiven.
Have a forgiven day!'
Marty
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