SEPTEMBER 13 SCRIPTURES
NOTE: The New Testament section reviews the break between Paul and John Mark and their subsequent rapprochement, and should be read as a unit.
2 Samuel 12:1-15
Psalm 51
Matthew 18:21-35
Acts 13:13, 15:36-39; Colossians 4:10; 2 Timothy 4:11
In Psalm 51:4, David wrote, "Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment." But wait, what about Uriah the Hittite? Didn't David sin against him, at least a little bit? After all, Uriah was sent to his death by David so that the king could cover up Bathsheba's pregnancy. What about Bathsheba, who was minding her own business when David happened to lay eyes on her? Or, for that matter, the entire nation of Israel and its laws and customs? So in what sense can David say that his sin was against God alone? The key is to think about the true source of David's sin (rebellion), and the fact that in the end everyone and everything harmed by it belong to God. When David (and we) sin, of course there are consequences. People are hurt, and often deeply so. That hurt is very real. But David wrote from God's perspective, not our own, and confessed his sin based on that. And of course there were consequences to David's actions. He had to seek the forgiveness not only of God but also of the people and the nation directly affected by his sin. But only God could create a new heart in David, and renew a right spirit within him. Only God could make David clean, washing him so that he would be whiter than snow.
ReplyDeleteIn Matthew, Jesus seems to teach that forgiveness from the Father is dependent on our willingness to forgive others. In Matthew 5:7, God's mercy and our mercy appear to be linked in the same way. But is our forgiveness and our ability to be shown mercy held hostage by our inability to forgive or show mercy? Both forgiveness and mercy are extended by God's grace, or unmerited favor, and if we have to be forgiving and merciful in order to be forgiven or shown mercy, doesn't that require us to earn what we cannot earn? The answer to that question lies in our relationship with God and our openness to being forgiven and receiving mercy. The work of Christ on the cross guarantees our salvation and establishes our relationship with the Father. That relationship leads to our transformation, such that we become forgiving and merciful as we become more like Christ. It is no burden for those who are becoming like Christ through the grace of the Father to be forgiving and merciful! How has God changed your heart so that you can show forgiveness and mercy through His grace as you are called to do?
ReplyDeleteIt is ONLY with Gods help that I am able to forgive those that have hurt or offended me in some way. I am constantly reminded daily as I struggle with my sinful human nature that God has forgiven me and will continue to forgive me. It is so easy to let anger and hurt rule our hearts. The thought that Jesus died for MY sins when I clearly didn't deserve it makes it very hard to justify refusing to forgive someone else for theirs. Forgiveness and mercy become easier as you grow closer to God I have found.
DeleteI think Thressa hit the nail on the head!! Our forgiveness for others should be a window in which we are letting God's forgiveness through. If we close that window to prevent others from experiencing that love and forgiveness, than member we don't quite understand the true forgiveness of Jesus. Christ died for us while we were still sinners and as sinners we are ENEMIES of God. As other words, God worked out a plan to forgive to bring us into His presents while we were fighting against Him. AM I really that arrogant to think I know who deserves forgiveness when I myself did not deserve God's forgiveness. This passage is a reminder for me to look at the people around me through God's eyes, to see them as cherished and loved Children of God, just like me. I have truly accepted His forgiveness when I am willing follow His example by forgiving those who have hurt us or are our enemies.
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ReplyDeleteJust so, Kevin and Thressa. The ability to forgive is one of the fruits of our faith. If our faith doesn't bear fruit, if it is "without works," it is dead. God's forgiveness flows through me because I have been given a new heart and renewed mind, making it possible for me to demonstrate my faith and forgive those who have wronged me.
ReplyDeleteIn Acts, Colossians and Timothy we see the arc of Paul's relationship with John Mark (sometimes called John, sometimes called Mark, sometimes John Mark; but always the same guy). John Mark had left Paul and Barnabas on a previous journey, and Paul did not want to risk being abandoned again. Barnabas, on the other hand, was willing to give John Mark a second chance. Thus two missionary teams were born (Paul and Silas; Barnabas and John Mark), and God's work went forward in spite of the disagreement between Paul and Barnabas. Even when the unity God calls His people to is not present, His will is done! Apparently Barnabas was right, and John Mark had what it took to be a missionary. He just needed a little encouragement. Even Paul recognized that after a time, and eventually he considered John Mark invaluable too. From John Mark's initial failure and Barnabas' willingness to forgive came a great work as he served Barnabas and Peter (hence the Gospel of Mark, written by John Mark on behalf of Peter, from Peter's perspective). How has God's forgiveness made it possible for you to serve Him, and how has your own willingness to forgive made it possible for others to serve alongside you?
ReplyDeleteOur forgiveness, like God's, is to be limitless. That is what Jesus told Peter in Matthew 18:21-25. That is so because, when it comes to our own selves, God's forgiveness is limitless. But that doesn't mean that we can't set limits in other ways. Forgiving someone for a wrong they have committed against you is what God calls for, but there are times when what they have done will rightly cause you to set limits in your relationship with them. Let's say, for instance, that a friend repeatedly discloses information to others that you shared in confidence. God calls you to forgive that person, but He does not call you to continue to trust that person with confidential information. As we consider God's limitless forgiveness and our own call to forgiving without limits, it is okay to remember that there are also consequences to sinful behavior, and that not all limits are outside the bounds of grace. Remembering that can help us be more forgiving because it "unties" things like forgiveness and trust. When we do not confuse those two things, we are more apt to forgive someone who has hurt us, knowing that our forgiveness does not necessarily open us up to further hurt.
ReplyDeleteYes! Amen! Forgiving and forgetting are not tied together.
DeleteDavid wrote many Psalms, and there are at least two others which deal with forgiveness. Both are thought to be written in response to the sins he committed during his affair with Bathsheba. In addition to Psalm 51, read Psalms 32 and 86. Go ahead. I'll wait; they are not long...as you read, you probably noticed that David repeatedly spoke of God's unfailing or steadfast love, which led him to repentance. It is God's love for us that calls us home, and we can be thankful for His love which allows us to return to Him. In today's meditation for the "Helping Hand," Jennifer Lewis-Berg reminds us that, when we sin, we are called to repent; to return home to the One who loves us. "The important choice is the return. God stands with open arms, as He has since the most ancient of times." How has God's steadfast love prompted you to return to Him in the past? How is that steadfast love calling you home today?
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