The Miracle of Constant Forgiveness

Do you believe in miracles? There is a great prayer on one of my favorite worship CDs: "Risen Christ, your miracle in us is your constant forgiveness." I really like this little saying a lot, and I can't seem to get it out of my head. The more I think about it, the more it makes sense. Constant forgiveness really does create miracles in our lives. Why? Because constant forgiveness is nothing else than the unending love of God, which Paul describes in Ephesians 3.18. Paul prays that we are able to grasp “how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge….” God’s forgiving love is so great that it is beyond our reasoning capabilities. Our response to this love should simply be acceptance. Accept his unending, loving forgiveness each morning. Don’t try to figure it out; just receive it and enjoy it. The results of accepting this amazing love are nothing short of miraculous: this love will make you like God (2 Cor. 3.18). You’ll become a giver of unending love like the Father, and all those around you will benefit.

When we let go of the dark places in our past--whether they were ten years ago, last week, or this morning--and we accept the love God has for us, things change. This acceptance gives us hope and makes room in our hearts for God’s Spirit to “pour out love” (Romans 5.5). As Easter nears let’s reflect on how the Risen Christ’s steady flow of forgiveness miraculously helps us see beyond past failures and future fears. The love he offers us is like a door leading away from the dark places we tend to wander. His love melts away judgmental attitudes and bitter thoughts that harden our hearts toward others and creates interpersonal havoc. I pray that this Easter we will let God work a miracle in us and resolve to accept his constant forgiveness.

Matt

Forgiveness

Last week we looked at Matthew Chapter five and all of the difficult things that Jesus had to say in that passage. One transitional thing I meant to say but somehow left out, was that Jesus’ warning of "Unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees you will surely not enter the kingdom of heaven" was not a warning for us to DO more than the Pharisees or to "do better things" than the Pharisees. I think what he was getting at was that the Pharisees managed to know the letter of the law and not live it out. That's why we talked about specific ways we could live it out, practically in service to the poor in our area. However, even that list of good things to do should not be taken as a pharisaic to-do list but rather as a response to knowing God and His will.

While last week we looked at a whole section of various difficult words from Jesus, this week we begin to look at places where he said short and specific things. This week is Matthew Chapter 6:12-15: "Forgive us our debts as we have forgiven our debtors.... for if we forgive others our heavenly father will forgive us, but if we do not forgive others neither will our heavenly father forgive us."

Personally, I can't think of a much more disturbing passage than this passage right in the middle of the Lord’s prayer. Jesus does not mince words in telling us our forgiveness from God is contingent upon the extent to which we are able to forgive others. In short he is saying, "God, deal with us as we deal with others." When I think about how I frequently deal with others unfairly, I sometimes cringe at this. “God forgive me as I forgive my kids!” “God forgive me as I forgive my coworkers.” Truth is, I usually only forgive those who I think deserve to be forgiven. Is that how God deals with us?

If God deals with us the way we deal with others, I think many of us might be in big trouble. This week we want to look at this difficult passage and talk about its implications for our lives, our families, our marriages and our homes.

Mark

Turkish Delight

We have not gone to see The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe yet, but we did finally manage to finish reading it as a family. Our boys loved it after we got over the formal, 1940’s British language of Lewis. Benjamin had read it earlier this year, so he suffered through a repeat reading; it was my third or fourth reading but I still loved it.

In this reading, Edmund stood out to me the most. Edmund, as most of you know, makes a deal with the White Witch to turn in his family, his brothers and sisters, for some Turkish Delight. During the visit, she lets him eat Turkish Delight until he has nearly had his fill. Then she sends him back to bring his family to her, with promises that he will get all the Turkish Delight he can eat.

After returning with his siblings, Edmund slips away to the White Witch’s castle. On the way, he justifies his betrayal by reminding himself how unfairly they treated him at times. He had been bickering with them and thought a lesson from the White Witch might do them good. More than anything he just wanted that Turkish Delight and was determined to get it.

When at the White Witch’s castle, he tells her his siblings are in Narnia at the beavers’ home. He asks for his pay—some Turkish Delight. The Witch calls for a dwarf who brings him stale bread on a tin plate instead. Edward turns up his nose at first, but the rage of the Witch causes him to sit and nibble on the horrible bread.

We don’t need our Christian parable glasses to see how Edmund’s short-sighted actions resemble things we do. He trades family for a few sweets . . . only to see he has actually bargained for something horrible. We can think of similar trades we have made over the years. Maybe for some it is a dramatic sin . . . but maybe for others it is the sweets of working too much, or playing too much golf, or sending e-mails instead of wrestling with our kids.

What is fantastic about the story, though, is Aslan’s reaction to Edmund when he meets him. He goes for a walk with him, and they talk quietly. Then Edmund comes back to the group, the family he has hurt, and says to Peter, “We talked. What’s done is done. The past is gone and should not be brought up again.”

Amazing to think that all of us who have made such horrible arrangements over the years with the Witch can speak with Aslan and be granted such peace.

Mark