Do you believe in forgiveness?

If we each ask ourselves this question, do you believe in forgiveness, most of us would likely answer yes regardless of our spiritual beliefs. It is not only a Christian concept, but an American one - dare I say a principle of human nature. Yet if we look at the relationships in our lives, are we really practicing forgiveness?

It feels like the past few years of my life God has really been working on me in this area. The lesson is a very challenging one, yet is also the center of the relationship between me and Christ. This is one of the most important things I can learn in this life on Earth because it has an eternal impact. I want my life to be a reflection of Christ and glorifying to God. What could demonstrate that more than forgiveness?

When Christ began His ministry He took what God had already begun teaching His people and raised it to the next level. In a very general sense, Jesus taught that it is easier to sin, but also easier to forgive. Sin was no longer a check list of dos and don'ts, but it became about character. Forgiveness was no longer about penance, but about grace. God spent hundreds of years teaching us about sin and forgiveness through very tangible tools of the Ten Commandments and animal sacrifice, etc. When Christ came we graduated from those elementary principles and were called to a higher benchmark.

1) Sin is not just about your actions, but about your heart.

"You have heard that the law of Moses says, `Do not commit adultery.' But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust in his eye has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Matthew 5:27-28

2) Forgiveness is not about paying the consequences, but about the graciousness of the offended person.

"Teacher," they said to Jesus, "this woman was caught in the very act of adultery. The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?"

They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, "All right, stone her. But let those who have never sinned throw the first stones!"

When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one.
Then Jesus stood up again and said to her, "Where are your accusers? Didn't even one of them condemn you?"

"No, Lord," she said.

And Jesus said, "Neither do I. Go and sin no more."
John 8:1-11

Take a look at the relationships in your life - professional colleagues, neighbors, friends and family. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you forgive, then pray for the Holy Spirit to do its work in the other persons heart. It will change your life, it will change their life and it will change the kingdom of Heaven.

Partial Obedience

"As they were walking along the road, a man said to [Jesus], "I will follow you wherever you go." Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and firds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." He said to another man, "Follow me." But the man replied, "Lord first let me go and bury my father." Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God." Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-bye to my family." Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."
- Luke 9:57-62

In the past months I have observed in my own heart, conditions upon which I rest my obedience to Christ. I say, "Lord, if you would just do this, make this thing happen, give me this one thing, fix this one situation, then I would obey you." But, what nonsense! That is NOT obedience. As a teacher, I have found that most times, partial obedience has little more value than complete disobedience.

"'Did you do your homework?"
"Yes."
"Well, where is it?"
"I left it at home."
"Do you know that if you do not bring it to school, you will not receive credit for it?"
"I just didn't feel like looking for it this morning."

Seriously? Partial obedience is wasted effort. I want to challenge myself and my friends with this question: Where in your life do you find yourself placing conditions on your obedience to God? In what part of your soul is partial obedience hindering you from beholding the glory of Jesus Christ?

Dietrich Bonhoeffer discusses true obedience in his book The Cost of Discipleship. Bonheoffer was a German theologian who live during the first part of the twentieth century. When Hitler rose to power, Bonhoeffer moved to the U.S. to escape persecution. However, after a short time he returned to Germany in order to proclaim the truth of the gospel to his people, in hopes that their hearts would be softened, and that they would turn from their heinous ways. Bonhoeffer was arrested in 1943 and executed by the Nazis in 1945. Here is what he has to say concerning obedience to the call of Christ:

"If we would follow Jesus we must make certain definite steps. The first step, which follows the call, cuts the disciple off from his previous existence...To stay in the old situation makes discipleship impossible...The call to follow implies that there is only one way of believing on Jesus Christ, and that is by leaving all and going with the incarnate Son of God...The new situation mus be created, in which it is possible to believe on Jesus as God incarnate; that is the impossible situation in which everything is staked solely on the word of Jesus. Peter had to leave the ship and risk his life on the sea, in order to learn both his own weakness and the almighty power of his Lord. If Peter had not taken the risk, he would never have learned the meaning of faith...Unless a definite step is demanded, the call vanishes into thin air, and if men imagine that they can follow Jesus without taking this step, they are deluding themselves like fanatics...The idea of a situation in which faith is possible is only a way of stating the facts of a case in which the following two propositions hold good and are equally true: only he who believes is obedient, and only he who is obedient believes."

Divine Provision

Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope.
Ephesians 3:20
http://www.blueletterbible.org/tools/printerFriendly.cfm?b=Eph&c=3&t=NLTP&x=9&y=10

Today I received a surprise from my Heavenly Father. It came in the form of a refund check in my mailbox and was a gentle reminder that all things are His to give and take away. I am His child and I have no need to worry. What is so thrilling about this surprise is that I left my job three days ago to stay home full time. It is such a unique and awesome experience to take a leap of faith and then see God moving in your life. I challenge you to take the next step in your spiritual journey, and stay alert for what is in store!