14 August 2019

ARE YOU A FORGIVER?

By John Ollis

In my Quiet Time yesterday I felt led to do something, I cannot remember ever doing privately since I was a child, and that was to pray the Disciple’s Prayer, commonly known as the Lord’s Prayer. No, it is not my intention to write a blog or series of blogs on the prayer just to highlight one simple statement contained in it. We read this beautiful prayer in Matt 6:9-13NKJV

Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, SINS
As we forgive our debtors. SIN AGAINST US
And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Jesus encourages us to ask forgiveness for the sins we have committed and that we forgive those who sin against us. Life sadly, is full of painful situations including those things that are said and done to us, and in all honesty IT IS NOT ALWAYS EASY TO FORGIVE, as there can be much pain in the wound/s inflicted on us.

Jesus goes on in His teaching in Matt. 18:22 NKJV and tells the story of the Parable of the unforgiving servant, and goes on to say to Peter, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven”. Some Commentators say the Greek text suggests 77 times in one day !!!!!

We sure do not find it easy to forgive a person once let alone 77 times. There is a saying that may help us on this journey, it goes something like this, “If God forgave the unforgivable in you, then we can and must forgive what we naturally think have done the unforgivable to us” The Apostle Paul expresses it this way in Col. 3:13 NKJV Bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. The MESSAGE Bible says Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you.

It has been said if you carry unforgiveness in your heart, “It is like drinking poison and hoping the other person will die”. Do you want to continue without your joy and peace, then harbour unforgiveness in your heart. We must learn to forgive QUICKLY and the peace and joy will flood back into your heart.

There are some challenging difficult situations we must learn to face in our Christian life, it has been said being a Christian is A NO WIN SITUATION, WE HAVE TO LEARN TO LAY DOWN AND DIE. But in this and every situation GOD’S GRACE IS SUFFICIENT.

The Bible doesn’t tell us to forget, and I don’t think we could anyway, but we don’t feed the pain we have received, but choose to let the Holy Spirit keep pouring the love of God into our hearts and keep LOVING LIKE JESUS LOVES AMEN.

Lord forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.