Through the past 15 years of writing Words for the Day I’ve discovered through feedback that the biggest thorn in everyone’s flesh seems to be God’s requirement of forgiveness. It appears to me that we all struggle with it.
I know that I do.
I would much prefer to make those who’ve done me wrong pay! Be it with fists, guns, knives, or clubs, I want my “pound of flesh”.
Interestingly that would be my flesh talking.
Spiritually I know that God’s sense of justice and mine don’t jive. He in fact does not want me to exact vengeance; no he wants me to forgive some punk who has messed with me or my family and leave meting out justice to Him.
Did I hear you right Lord? You want me to forgive some slime ball rapist, child molester, murdering pagan scumbag that just slaughtered my family?????
Yes, my son that is exactly what I want you to do . . .
Huh?
Remember the words of My Son Jesus Christ: “But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins” Matt. 6:15.
Yikes!
When I think about Jesus being crucified I remember the movie The Passion of the Christ produced by Mel Gibson. It was extremely difficult to watch and I cried through much of it. Jesus was viciously scourged with whips and repeatedly beaten beyond recognition with fists and then a crown of razor sharp thorns was beaten upon his head. In His weakened condition He was forced to drag a heavy cross across the hills of Jerusalem up on Golgotha and then be nailed to a cross causing excruciating pain. His bones literally pulled apart as He hung there and He had difficulty breathing. He was humiliated in front of a taunting, angry crowd, who spit upon Him and jeered him as His horrified mother watched and wept.
He looked down upon them and through His agonizing pain softly said, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do”.
Hmmm . . . Now had that been me, I’d have said, “Father KILL them all! Every damn one of them! Kill them slowly and painfully; kill their kids first and make them watch!”
More flesh talk.
It is interesting to note that Jesus’s request for forgiveness to these folks was subsequently granted on the Day of Pentecost as the Holy Spirit mysteriously swept through the church with the forgiving power of God that wonderful day. As a result many of those same people who were a part of crucifying Him were wonderfully saved and their horrible sins forgiven.
Forgiveness is not natural, but supernatural. We get our best look at the incomprehensible nature of the grace of God through Jesus on the cross.
God’s grace can be defined in part as His showering undeserved mercy upon us as a loving gift that cannot be earned. The blood of Christ established God’s grace in a mind boggling demonstration of Divine compassion that day. Upon its completion Jesus said, “It is finished!” Death and sin were defeated once and for all.
Nothing can be added to it – Nothing needs to be added . . . It is finished!
Personally I’ve committed many sins and have caused much pain and sorrow in people’s lives. I know that I deserve to go to hell. I asked God to forgive me of those sins and He has done so. I didn’t deserve His forgiveness but Jesus took the punishment for my sins through His blood and now I’m free. I will be eternally grateful to Him for what He did for me. And I know that I know – that I did not deserve it.
I intend to forgive some folks today that don’t deserve it. They have wronged me and frankly I’d rather beat the crap out of them, than forgive them.
More flesh talk.
I cannot do this forgiving business through my flesh; it has to be spiritual. Therefore I’m asking God to direct His Holy Spirit to assist me and remove my antipathies and perfect His grace in me by enabling me to set my enemies free from my grudges and never look back.
Shazam! Setting my enemies free is setting me free don’t you think?
Have a great weekend and go to church Sunday. Also remember that NEXT WEEKEND is the Coach Bobby Bowden event at Honey Lake. We still have a few tables and even a couple of rooms available.
I sincerely hope you’ll be able to attend Saturday evening. Great food, fellowship, excellent Gospel music, and inspirational messages will fill your souls with the Spirit and then you can get another dose of it on Sunday morning with Coach Bowden sharing his faith in beautiful Honey Lake Church.
It will be a wonderful time of faith, family, friends, and fun for all concerned. Please come and bring some friends. If you can’t make it on Saturday, then why not sponsor someone who cannot afford it but desperately needs a little encouragement in their life. Remember all proceeds less expenses go to the Honey Lake Worldwide Ministry and will be used to spread the word of God throughout the world.
Hebrew 8:12
“And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.”
August 30, 2013 – Click here to listen