Forgiveness

Forgiveness

Reconciliation Seen from the Pulpit

In a large prayer meeting about seven years ago, the pastor was urging everyone present to put away every hindrance to an immediate personal transaction with God, by which the soul might find instant forgiveness.

He saw a man leave his pew in a hurried, excited state, and go into the inquiry room. Quietly, an usher called two or three others to follow the man. Shortly, the man, as well as the others returned quietly to their seats.

At the close of the service, the pastor inquired into the reasons for the commotion. He was told there had been a quarrel sometime before the service; the man, hearing God's Word, wanted to find peace with God; he realized he could not have it until he was first reconciled to his offending brethren. Consequently, he had sent for them to come into the inquiry room.

When the man asked them for forgiveness, they freely forgave and were as glad as he to have fellowship again.

The Forgiveness Flower

One day when Stan Mooneyham was walking along a trail in East Africa with some friends, he became aware of a delightful odor that filled the air. He looked up in the trees and around at the bushes in an effort to discover where it was coming from. Then his friends told him to look down at the small blue flower growing along the path. Each time they crushed the tiny blossoms under their feet, more of its sweet perfume was released into the air. Then his friends said, "We call it the forgiveness flower."

This forgiveness flower does not wait until we ask forgiveness for crushing it. It does not release its fragrance in measured doses or hold us to a reciprocal arrangement. It does not ask for an apology; it merely lives up to its name and forgives-freely, fully, richly. What a touching example of outrageous forgiveness!

The Buried Hatchet

Garth Brooks has a song which says "We buried the hatchet, but left the handle sticking out." One great obstacle of stumbling is non-forgiveness. The hatchet might seem to be buried, but people continue to grab hold of the handle when they want to use it against another. Jesus said if a brother repents, forgive him-that is, bury the hatchet and its handle. How many times, you might ask? As often as the brother repents, we are to forgive.

Don't grab hold of buried hatchet handles, for they become stumbling blocks to forgiveness.

Forgiveness Needs Momentum

Corrie ten Boom likenened forgiveness to letting go of a bell rope. If you have ever seen a country church with a bell in the steeple, you will remember that to get the bell ringing you have to tug awhile. Once it has begun to ring, you merely maintain the momentum. As long as you keep pulling, the bell keeps ringing. Miss ten Boom said forgiveness is letting go of the rope. It is just that simple. But when you do so, the bell keeps ringing. Momentum is still at work. However, if you keep your hands off the rope, the bell will begin to slow and eventually stop.

It is like that with forgiveness. When you decided to forgive, the old feelings of unforgiveness may continue to assert themselves. After all, they have lots of momentum. But if you affirm your decision to forgive, that unforgiving spirit will begin to slow and will eventually be still. Forgiveness is not something you feel, it is something you do. It is letting go of the rope of retribution.

Soft on Enemies

One of President Abraham Lincoln's associates scolded him rather severely for being soft on his enemies. "Why do you insist on trying to make friends of them?" he chided. "You should be trying to destroy them."

To which Lincoln replied gently, "Am I not destroying my enemies when I make them my friends?" In speaking of those who were his enemies during the Civil War, Lincoln is reported to have said, "Insane as it may seem, I hold malice toward none of them. I have neither the time nor the energy in this life to hold that kind of resentment."

The Berry Spoon

"I'll never forgive him. I told him I would never forgive him." The attractive elderly lady spoke softly, but with resolve, to the night nurse. Her expression was troubled as she turned away, focusing her eyes on the drape closing in her nursing home bed. The conversation had traveled from the temporal to the eternal and now a deep hurt had surfaced.

She told of how her brother had approached her hospital bed, accusing her of taking more than her share of family heirlooms following their mother's death. He spoke of various items, ending with "the berry spoon." He said, "I want the berry spoon." For the 40 years since the parent's death he had hidden his feelings, and now they erupted. She was both hurt and angered by his accusation and vowed never to forgive him. "It's my spoon. It was given to me," she defended herself. "He's wrong and I won't forgive him."

A berry spoon. In the bed lay a woman given two months to live-60 days-and she would face eternity and never see her brother again in this life. Her mind and spirit were in anguish, and her only remaining family tie was broken over a spoon.

How many berry spoons are there in our lives? How many things, as insignificant as a spoon, in light of eternity, separate us from full communion with God? How much lack of forgiveness keeps us from fellowship with others?

"For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins" (Mat_6:14-15).

There's Forgiveness

Don't struggle alone, in fear and distress

As if there's no hope, just your ugliness.

Our Lord offers grace, not judgment deserving,

He longs for your love and your soon returning.

THERE'S FORGIVENESS.

It's tough cutting through the darkness of sin

Striving for answers, His favor to win.

He stands with His arms outstretched and extended

To hold and restore you, just mercy intended.

THERE'S FORGIVENESS.

Why search other places your answers to find

To fill the vast void and touch the divine.

Lay down your excuses and learn to confess

Your sins and your shame to His holiness.

THERE'S FORGIVENESS.

There's healing and fellowship waiting for you

The moment you turn, His face to pursue.

You are the temple, His place for abiding,

The only thing missing is your mind deciding.

THERE'S FORGIVENESS.

Don't wait for a feeling or mystical lark,

Just bow down in quietness, open your heart.

Be honest, and tell Him no secret to keep

From there He restores you to fellowship sweet.

THERE'S FORGIVENESS.

His promise is certain, "I will forgive,"

Cleansing and freedom, it's yours to live.

From no other source full joy will you find.

He is your victory, your peace so sublime.

THERE'S FORGIVENESS.

To humble yourself, before Him in prayer,

Is your first step, in unloading your care.

There look Him squarely, straight in the face

And tell Him all of the ways you disgrace.

There's forgiveness.

Refreshment and fullness He will restore

The moment you sincerely open the door.

He is the life you thought you could win,

By going your way and living in sin.

There's forgiveness.

There's no one beyond the reach of His arm

To pick up and pardon, to rescue from harm.

Return to the Master of your faith's beginning.

Give Him your all, and you'll find yourself winning.

THERE'S FORGIVENESS.

What wonderful love eternity holds,

For those who are willing to be in the fold.

The Savior is waiting, Oh come to Him now,

At His nail-scarred feet, in humility bow.

THERE'S FORGIVENESS.

Our Sins Are Like the Clouds

You have seen a cloud drifting across the pure blue of the sky, and as you watch it, it breaks up and disappears forever. You will never see that cloud again.

So God deals with your sins. You believe in His Son as your Lord and Savior. Then He blots out your transgressions just as He sweeps the cloud from your sight forever.

The Bible abounds in these assurances of utter removal of the penalty of sin from the child of God.

The Meaning of Forgiveness

"How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless child," says William Shakespeare's King Lear. Well, then, how about a thankless jailbird? If you want an answer to that one, ask District Judge Phillip Killien of Seattle.

Recently, a young man appeared before Judge Killien on charges of car theft. The judge saw no reason to keep him locked up while he awaited court action. He released him on his own recognizance.

A short time later, Killien's own car disappeared.

Police quickly found the stolen car, and the one who stole it. Then, Judge Killien was in court in a new role, not as a judge, but as a witness, against the same young man he had released, who stood accused of stealing the magistrate's wheels.

A Japanese proverb reminds us that forgiving the unrepentant is like drawing pictures on the water. Ignoring sin may gain the sinner's temporary gratitude, but makes no lasting impression. A forgiven car thief is still a car thief if no change of character takes place.

How about you? Do you seek to escape justice or to be justified by God's grace and Christ's mercy? God offers you liberty, not license, in the cleansing blood of Christ.

Do You Charge to Forgive?

A sign in a convenience store read, "Check Cashing Policy: To err is human. To forgive, $10." It's a funny way to recognize the fact that we make mistakes, but it's also evidence of the way many people think about forgiveness.

To forgive is to accept within yourself the consequences of the sins of others. It means to accept the pain, the problems and the burden that comes when someone sins against you. Forgiveness is neither an easy nor a frequent gift.

This is what God has done for us: "...knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot" (1Pe_1:18-19 NKJV). What did God give for your forgiveness? It wasn't money or anything of wealth or value in worldly terms. He gave His Son. Jesus took upon Himself the burden of our sins.

Distinctly Forgotten

Following the Civil War, Robert E. Lee was visiting in Kentucky where one lady showed him the remains of what had been an enormous, old tree. This tree stood directly in front of her house. She bitterly cried to General Lee of how its limbs and trunk had been shattered by Federal artillery fire. Having poured out her anguish she looked to the old soldier for a condemnation of the North. Following a brief silence, Lee responded, "Cut it down, my dear madam, and forget it."

It is better to forgive the injustices of the past than to allow them to take root and add bitterness to your future. Memory is a marvelous thing, particularly when it brings us wisdom or joy; however, forgetfulness is equally marvelous for it allows others to succeed where once failure reigned.

Forgiveness does not always mean that we trust the individual. In his weakness this does neither him nor you any favors. Forgiveness is the measure of putting yourself on his side, not seeking revenge but success. It is the opening of opportunity's doors, to say "try again, I will not shut you out." This requires setting aside or forgetting the emotions which might halt forgiveness.

Clara Barton, Red Cross founder, was asked if she remembered an especially cruel thing done to her years before. When she seemed not to recall it, a friend asked, "Don't you remember?" "No," said Miss Barton, "I distinctly remember forgetting it." God has forgiven us, is it now time that we forgive others so that we can get on to a bright future. Is some cruelty holding you back? Forgive and Live.

Practicing Forgiveness

It is said of Samuel Johnson, the great English writer and lexicographer, that "the way to get a favor from him was to do him an injury." Evidently it was characteristic of him to forgive his enemies and pray for them. Emerson said of Lincoln: "His heart was as great as the world, but there was no room in it to hold the memory of a wrong." Spurgeon advised, "Cultivate forbearance until your heart yields a fine crop of it. Pray for a short memory as to all unkindness." That is how the truly wise man acts.

Good Forgetters

Two little boys had quarreled. But the next morning Johnny took his cap and headed for Bobby's house again. Surprised, an older member of the family said teasingly, "What! Going to play with him again? I thought you quarreled only last evening and were never going to have anything more to do with each other. Funny memory you have." Johnny looked a little sheepish, dug his toe into the carpet for a moment, then flashed a satisfied smile as he hurried away. "Oh! Bobby and me's good forgetters!"

No Condemnation

A man was viciously attacked by another who sought to kill him. The face of the injured man was badly scarred for the rest of his life. He cherished no enmity, however, against the person who made the attack and later sought to have him pardoned. The announcement was made to the prisoner. As he read the pardon he said, "I want something more than pardon, sir; I want friendship." "What kind of friendship do you want?" asked the warden. "I can do without anyone else's friendship except that of the man I injured." The man with the scarred face came to see the prisoner, the tears in his eyes assuring the assailant of both his pardon and friendship.

Trampled Flowers

A girl was asked what forgiveness is. She gave the following beautiful answer: "It is the odor the flowers give off when they are trampled upon." For the merciful Christian, this odor reaches far, far away, even up to the judgment seat of Christ; the Christian need not be afraid when he gets there.

Willing to Forgive

This incident occurred between John Wesley and Joseph Bradford. Bradford was for some years the traveling companion of Mr. Wesley for whom he would have sacrificed health and even life, but to whom his will would never bend. "Joseph," said Mr. Wesley one day, "take these letters to the post office." Bradford replied, "I will take them after your preaching, sir." Wesley again said, "Take them now, Joseph." Bradford turned to Mr. Wesley and said, "I wish to hear you preach, sir; and there will be sufficient time for the post office after the service." Wesley was not at all pleased and said, "I insist upon your going now, Joseph." Bradford rather angrily replied, "I will not go at present." "You will not!" "No, sir." "Then you and I must part," said Wesley. "Very well, sir," was Mr. Bradford's quick response. The good men slept over it. Both were early risers. At four o'clock the next morning, Wesley said to Bradford, "Joseph, have you considered what I said-that we must part?" "Yes, sir," was the reply. "And must we part?" "Please yourself, sir," Then Wesley said, "Will you ask my pardon, Joseph?" "No, sir," came the quick reply from Bradford. "You will not?" "No, sir," Bradford said again. "Then," answered Wesley, "I will ask yours, Joseph." That is what a Christian should do-be willing to ask forgiveness instead of expecting others to ask forgiveness of him.