Forgiveness: August 9, 2010

Today's Word for Monday August 9, 2010

FORGIVENESS

DEFINITION

The act of forgiving or showing forgiveness; offering the chance to recover from mistakes; willingness to forgive.

SCRIPTURE

"Forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you."
Colossians 3:13

"Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered." Psalm 32:1

"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as God forgave you." Ephesians 4:32

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE

In the Lord's Prayer as written in Matthew 6, Jesus said: "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those that trespass against us." How can we expect to be forgiven when we are unwilling to forgive? This is what forgiveness is all about. When one does wrong it is scripturally required for that person to then ask for forgiveness. Unfortunately that very rarely happens. The reason being is that it is humbling to have to admit we are wrong and have to ask for forgiveness. The end result, if we do not forgive a rift develops in that relationship.

Don't let pride keep you from doing the right thing. How do we feel when we are wronged? Naturally it upsets us and the normal reaction is to want to get even. Most people can give you a score of reasons why they feel they should not forgive someone for a wrong. Excuses are not acceptable to God. God has set the unsurpassable example of forgiveness when He forgave us of our sins by sending His Son to pay the penalty for our sins.

For parents this is a difficult standard to teach children. First of all, most of the time a child does not feel they have done any wrong that requires forgiveness. Therefore, a parent has to begin at an early age to teach the difference between right and wrong.

Secondly, children are very observant. It is difficult to teach our children to be forgiving if they do not see us as parents being forgiving to those who have done some wrong against us. Forgiveness involves both our attitude and our actions. We love to dredge up old grievances to help our ego. If we are going to forgive others as God forgives us we must be willing to forget. When God forgives our sins He completely forgets them. Isaiah tells us in Chapter 43 verse 25 that God not only blots out our transgressions but He remembers them no more.

As we have said so often, our words are heard and our deeds are watched therefore as believers we have a huge responsibility to act and talk as Jesus would want us to in all situations.

In Acts 26:18 it reads: "that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those that are sanctified by faith in Me." What greater inheritance can one have then to spend an eternity with God in heaven? It is up to us, but we have to make the choice and ask God to forgive us from our sins. Do you know today that your sins are forgiven? If not now is the time to ask God for His forgiveness.

LEARNING

Our memory verse for this week is found in Philippians 2:4:

Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

PRAYER

Today I ask You to forgive me for my sins and for the times I have failed You. Help me to learn afresh to forgive those that sin against me just as You forgave me. Help me to set an example for my family and friends as to what it means to forgive and give my family a spirit of forgiveness to all they meet. Thank You for teaching me to pray as you said: "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, as we forgive our debtors. 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