As my disciples really think about what you are doing, I want you to help your fellow disciples do what is right by telling them the hard truth and if they sin against you personally forgive them....again and again and again and again, keep on forgiving them! Never stop forgiving them! Just make forgiving others a way of life. This is my paraphrase of what Jesus is saying to the disciples in these verses. I can't say someone has ever offended me seven times in one day, if they did I don't think I would have the grace to keep forgiving them as many times as the Lord requires. As I was preparing to write this devotion I sat here thinking about someone offending me over and over again in the same way each time. I could see me politely forgiving at first but after a time or two rage, anger, resentment, and bitterness would have me rip into them. Forgive the same offense over and over again? I have trouble forgiving my husband for using my dish towel to dry his hands how am I ever going to master this seven times a day thing or harder yet seven times seventy. I can imagine at this point the disciples sitting there absorbing all of what Jesus is saying, which prompted their next response..."Lord, increase our faith"! I'm with you guys, my only hope is that with God NOTHING is impossible.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Never-ending Forgiveness
Luke 17:3-4
As my disciples really think about what you are doing, I want you to help your fellow disciples do what is right by telling them the hard truth and if they sin against you personally forgive them....again and again and again and again, keep on forgiving them! Never stop forgiving them! Just make forgiving others a way of life. This is my paraphrase of what Jesus is saying to the disciples in these verses. I can't say someone has ever offended me seven times in one day, if they did I don't think I would have the grace to keep forgiving them as many times as the Lord requires. As I was preparing to write this devotion I sat here thinking about someone offending me over and over again in the same way each time. I could see me politely forgiving at first but after a time or two rage, anger, resentment, and bitterness would have me rip into them. Forgive the same offense over and over again? I have trouble forgiving my husband for using my dish towel to dry his hands how am I ever going to master this seven times a day thing or harder yet seven times seventy. I can imagine at this point the disciples sitting there absorbing all of what Jesus is saying, which prompted their next response..."Lord, increase our faith"! I'm with you guys, my only hope is that with God NOTHING is impossible.
As my disciples really think about what you are doing, I want you to help your fellow disciples do what is right by telling them the hard truth and if they sin against you personally forgive them....again and again and again and again, keep on forgiving them! Never stop forgiving them! Just make forgiving others a way of life. This is my paraphrase of what Jesus is saying to the disciples in these verses. I can't say someone has ever offended me seven times in one day, if they did I don't think I would have the grace to keep forgiving them as many times as the Lord requires. As I was preparing to write this devotion I sat here thinking about someone offending me over and over again in the same way each time. I could see me politely forgiving at first but after a time or two rage, anger, resentment, and bitterness would have me rip into them. Forgive the same offense over and over again? I have trouble forgiving my husband for using my dish towel to dry his hands how am I ever going to master this seven times a day thing or harder yet seven times seventy. I can imagine at this point the disciples sitting there absorbing all of what Jesus is saying, which prompted their next response..."Lord, increase our faith"! I'm with you guys, my only hope is that with God NOTHING is impossible.
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