Father won't you forgive them

Yesterday as we worked around the house, my husband was oblivious to the song playing on the radio but I hung on every word.  You see, I am a huge advocate of forgiveness although it is not an easy task to forgive someone who has wronged you.

Ann Lamont wrote "Not forgiving is like drinking rat poison and expecting the rat to die."  When I speak or teach on forgiveness, I often say "Not forgiving someone is like you drinking poison expecting the other person to die."

The song on the radio was Losing by Tenth Avenue North.  The lyrics, that were tugging at me were:

Father won't you forgive them? They don't know what they are doing...
Oh, Father give me grace to forgive them, cause I feel like the one losing.

Yup!  I am called to forgive.  The human mind does not often comprehend that.  The human mind comprehends "get even!"  That is what our very soul wants....payback!  To not get that makes me "feel like the one losing."

The God that we serve calls us to forgive.  Yes- you may have been the one offended, yes-you may be the one that lost in the deal, yes-it may have cost a friendship but yes-you are called to forgive.  I bore the burden of not forgiving for many years.  The other person went on living life with no thought to what they had done or how that had affected me for a lifetime. 

Living a Christian life requires us to be obedient.  Forgiveness is a part of that life.  Even Christ as he hung on the cross looked down at his offenders and cried out "Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing...[Luke 23:34]

As Christians, we know what is required of us.  I get it!  I know that sometimes the hurt and pain are overwhelming.  I do not make light of this issue.  For some, forgiveness is necessary when they borrow a dress and it's never returned and it costs you the friendship; however, for others, the issue of forgiveness lies in a theft of a precious heirloom or inheritance, a situation where there was a crime involved, or maybe an abuse of power.

Those are big issues.  I have been offended but if I give it thought,  I have also been the offender.  Consider where you would be if Christ had not died to forgive you of your sins or mine. 

That's why the song was so impacting.  I was crying out "I feel like the one losing."  Yet wasn't it our Savior that lost his life to save me?  In light of that situation, what a small price for me to pay....forgiving. 

So today, if there is a situation you need to address through forgiving....don't hesitate.   I understand that it may be painful, I understand that much time may have passed since the offense, and I understand that it may be difficult...but I also understand that we serve a forgiving, loving God and with him, nothing is impossible. 

He took on our sins and He forgave us.  He gave His life for us, to free us from our sins.  Won't you free yourself by forgiving others?  When we forgive, we don't forgive to free others, we forgive to free ourselves from that burden.  You are not losing...in forgiveness, you win!

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  Colossians 3:13

Struggle CD, Tenth Avenue North-Losing (c) 2012

Covered

On the last day of our cruise, I broke a nail.  I didn't fret, I simply put a band aid on it, certain that I could repair it the next day.  True to my belief, I went to the nail shop to get it repaired.  While I was there, the girl informed me that it was time to "re-do" all of my nails. 

You see, these are my real nails.  I simply have a coat of acrylic over them to strengthen them.  The acrylic has gotten old and I needed to strip the old and apply a new layer.  This is done about once a year but it had been about three years for me.  I simply kept going in to reapply and fix the old acrylic.

I gave in and said "just do it."  I soaked my nails for about 30 minutes and before I knew it, all the acrylic was off and I had my original nails.  I must say that after they were stripped, they looked rough.  Sure, they were still long, but some were jagged at the ends, some were thin and one even had a hole in it. 

I thought "Wow, if people could only see the real nail, they would never believe the finished product."   As she proceeded with the process and applied the acrylic, it was transparent enough that although strong, I could still see the flaws.  The more she did, the better they looked. Then the final step, the fingernail polish.  I selected a pretty fall color that covered all the flaws and made for a beautiful set of nails. 

As I sat there and allowed her to file, shape, and polish my nails I thought of how sin is much the same.  We allow sin in our life and it is ugly.  Sometimes we just hide the ugly and don't bother to change it.  Sin changes our look, our thoughts and our actions.  We can try to cover it up but we still see it.  It isn't until we allow God to take control and cover our sin with the blood that He shed that we can no longer see it in us. 

When we finally come to Christ, when we finally say "Okay, just do it" when we finally give in to be stripped of our sin and allow God to shape us and clean us up and cover our sin with His blood, only then will we see the final product of forgiveness and renewing.

God gave His only Son so that we might be set free and cleansed from our sin.  Isn't it time for you to give in and bring your sins to Him so that they can be covered?

As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our sins from us.  Psalms 103:11

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sin, he is faithful and just to forgive our sin and purify us from all unrighteousness.  1 John 1:9

Daily Conversations

I have a beautiful sister-in-law that had an amazing relationship with her grandmother.  They were inseparable.  She told me that everyday on her way to work, she would call her and they would talk all the way to the office.  She loved her conversations with her.   

Grandma is no longer with us.  My sister-in-law says she misses her very much.  She said that her first day back to work without her grandmother was the worst.  She had to make the trip without that phone conversation she was so accustomed to having with her.

They were very close and spent much time together.  I remember her telling me once that they had gone to the movies together.  The movies at 80!  They had a very special relationship and spent much time together.

I stop and think of my relationship with God and wonder if I have a conversation with Him everyday.  I wonder if I told Him how grateful I am that still have both my parents or did I just complain about having to take mom to another doctor's appointment.

Did I talk to God and thank Him for our kids and their safety or did I just complain about how much tuition is and how we never get to see them?  Did I thank God for the comfort of retirement or complain about everything I have to do forgetting that if I was working, I would not have the time to get it all done.

Did I thank God for loyal friends or complain about the ones that "did me wrong" and hope that they get "what's due them?"   What are my conversations with God like and do I miss them when I get in a hurry to start my day and move on without them?

God's Word speaks about guarding your heart [Proverbs 4:23].  Sometimes we forget where our heart should be focused.  We get caught up in the circumstances of our life and allow them to overwhelm and often, overtake us.

I want to have a relationship with Christ that allows me to crave conversations with him.  I don't want to get so caught up with "life" that I miss those.  I want to talk to Him daily so that I remember that I am the one that is suppose to make the difference....the one that is suppose to be the light in this dark world.

Lately, I have had an assignment that has kept me so busy that I have found myself waking up in a hurry to get on with the day,  sometimes foregoing that conversation with Him.  I get going and before you know it I am on the road.  Oh sure, I listen to that morning sermon on 105.7 but I'm listening....not talking to God.  

I find that when I am in conversation with God, He truly speaks.  This morning's conversation took me to Jeremiah 17.  It reminded me that when I don't focus on God, when I focus on circumstances, my heart will give in.  But when my heart and my head are focused on God, He will take care of the rest.

So I will continue to be in conversation with my God.  I will continue to believe His Word and difficult as it may be, I will continue to obey.   Have you had your conversation with God today?

The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure.  Who can understand it?  I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve.  Jeremiah 17:9-10

What is required?

We are back.  My husband and I took a much needed vacation but we are now back from a seven day cruise to the Caribbean.  What a great time to just get away and relax.  Unfortunately, we came back to some disturbing news. 

It made me think of all my friends that are currently passing through some very difficult trials.  One can not help but thank God for his omnipotence.  Yes, omnipotence!  While one might say "Omnipotence would be me being able to avoid the trial."  Trials are our "refining!" 

Trials are God's way of saying "You are totally reliant on me to bring you through this."  A few years ago when I suffered my own trial, I hated hearing "Before a trial comes to you, it has to go through God's hands."  I figured that meant that God was okay with me suffering as deeply as I suffered but what it really meant was that He is big enough to hold you through that trial and meet you on the other side of it.

I woke up this morning and thanked God for His power and His wisdom and His faith in us to believe that we would do what He would require of us and not what our flesh wants to do, despite the wrong in the situation.  You see, people will fail you that's just a given.  We are not perfect human beings and fleshly desires like selfishness, greed and pride may often overtake us.  As I moved on this morning to do my devotion, God led me to another portion of His word that gave me comfort.  I discovered that when God has spoken, nothing else needs to be said.

I am grateful for the reminder of what is required of me!

Do not trust a neighbor; put no confidence in a friend.  Even with her who lies in your embrace be careful of her words.  For a son dishonors his father, a daughter rises up against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law---a man's enemies are the members of his own household. But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me. 
Micah 7:5-7

And what does the Lord require of you?  To act justly, and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.  Micah 6:8

I miss you!

Some days I wake up and just long to see my son. I long to wrap my arms around him and just hear him breathe.  He is in his second year at Sam Houston State University and all grown up

Sometimes I will drive by a place that will just trigger a memory.  Yesterday it was Sonic.  I drove through to get some mango tea and in my head I could hear the high school junior say "Mom, I'm gonna meet the guys at Sonic." 

Words can not describe the longing to turn back time,  I just want to say "Hey son, let's go have lunch at Manuel's."  I reminisced of all the homecoming corsages I had to order, all the mums, all the pictures, and all the instructions for everything to be perfect. 

I desperately miss hearing about his day or this situation or that situation.  I miss shopping for the perfect colored t shirt or the perfect shoe...all things that took time and could not be rushed.  The problem is he is not so close anymore.  He is no longer in his bedroom, he no longer comes home to often.  He is deep in his studies and has his own schedule and agenda.

How I wish I could change that,  how I wish I could see that toothless little boy  and that young man dependent on mom to drive him places and  cheer him through.  I can not describe the emptiness and the need to just share a long conversation -just he and I.   "Let's drive to Kemah or go to a movie"  are the kind of days I miss.   I long to be in his presence and hear about the direction he is taking or how God is working in his life.  It makes me sad that as life goes on, we move out, move forward, and eventually, move away.

As I buried myself in thought of how much I miss him, my heart became more and more heavy.  In that thought,  I thought of my father.  I thought of how much my father must miss me when I "go away," how much does my father miss me when I am no longer in his presence, or in conversation with him.  Some of His children have long moved on,  how he must long to hear from us. 

I speak of my heavenly Father.  I think of how I long to have quality time with my son and think of how God must long to hear from me.  Oh He hears from me, but I mean really hearing from me.  Quiet, still, committing time to Him alone. 

As I succumb to the feeling of loneliness, I run to my Father.  I tell him how it is a bad day and how much I miss my son and how despite the cycle of life, I long to be with him today.  It is then  that my Father reminds me that He gave up his son and He did not even consider not doing it.  He gave up His son so that I could have eternal life, a gift offered and  passed on to my son.  

Do I miss my son....absolutely!  Do I know he is in good hands.....yes!  Do I trust my Father....enough to let go!

As I blink back a tear, my phone dings and the text merely says "Math test was so hard!"  I smile as I encourage him to be tough and trust God.  I am so, so, so.....beyond words, so grateful that I found Christ when I did and that He was my guide.  He will not mislead you in raising children.

Corrie Ten Boom once said to Charles Swindoll relative to his children "Hold everything in your hands lightly....otherwise it  hurts when God pries your hands open." 

My hands have been pried....my heart misses my son but my mind knows that God is in control and I am glad that He is also his Father. 

Although I miss my son, I must remain diligent in Christ because I do not want to miss my Father. 

I thank God that He was willing to give his son so that we might all have an opportunity at eternal life.  Have you accepted that gift?

There is surely a future hope for you and your hope will not be cut off.  Listen my son and be wise, and keep your heart on the right path.   Proverbs 23: 19-20

Dual Lesson

This week was a terrible, horrible, dog gone long week.  On top of that, I had a Bible Study Lesson to teach today [Sunday].  Although I reviewed the lesson throughout the week, I felt like I was rushing through it.

I was subbing for a kindergarten teacher at a local school and they were a handful.  It was all I could do to get those papers graded, lessons taught and get them on the bus for the last time Friday.  After Friday I would have relief as my assignment would be over. 

On Saturday morning I woke up early and said to God "Okay God, do your work.  I only have today to prepare this lesson."  I also thought that if he could possibly make it happen before 4:30PM that afternoon it would be great because my husband and I worship on Saturdays at 5:00PM due to his work schedule.

Then I got to work.  I prayed, read my bible and put on some worship music.  I then let the Holy Spirit lead as God just provided the words straight from His Holy Word.  When it was complete, I was satisfied that those were not wasted hours. 

I proceeded to clean up and wait for my husband and then we headed to church.  I felt good about the lesson I would be presenting in the morning. 

This morning, as I awoke again early, I reviewed the lesson and the excitement was building.  I was excited about what God was going to do in class.  I went to the worship service which was again awesome and headed to class.

When I arrived, I saw a familiar face-also a sub who was preparing for a power-point presentation.  "Oh, are you teaching this morning?" I asked.  He replied "Yes, the teacher asked me to teach today."  Funny, she had asked me to teach also.  I told him "I wish I would have known, I had a hectic week and the lesson was difficult to prepare in the little time I had."  He responded in the same manner as he continued to search for a working laptop.

Immediately, I said "Well, you go ahead and teach-I'll sit in on the class."  What confusion.  I went to the back of the class and took the seat in the row furthest back and in the furthest corner closest to the door.

I can't say that I wasn't disappointed, I was but I sat through the lesson silently praying that God would use him all the while feeling like I had a good lesson to teach also.

Within minutes, my attitude took a turn.  I thought "I just wish I had known! I wouldn't have spent all that time preparing!"   Then it hit me...."all that time preparing?"  I had limited God to one day!  Not that He can't do it but I limited God!  I put him on my schedule.

As I prayed that attitude away, I discovered that I did not have one regret.  I went back to those hours of preparation and remembered my amazing time with God.  I remembered the heart touching,  soul piercing, spirit filled time I spent with Him.  As I prepared, I worshiped like I had not had time to worship in a long time!  I felt like I had truly been in His presence and you can not regret anything about that!

Yes, I worked hard, I prepared this lesson and it was indeed a dual lesson.  Not because two people had prepared the same lesson and only one could teach but because this girl prepared the lesson and learned the lesson all in the same day!

God's plan was for me to meet with Him.  I limited Him to speak to me and He used every moment to speak His truth through worship and His word and that in itself is quite the lesson for me. The sub taught a good lesson as I knew he would but I am every grateful that God taught me my own lesson long before I got to class.

What lesson are you missing? 

God is not unjust, He will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.  We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure.  We do not want you to become lazy , but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.  Hebrews 6: 10-12

Do you know?

The other day I woke up and went to my Bible.  I usually do my daily devotion right after waking up, between my morning coffee and my shower.  Of course that means I have to wake up a little earlier.

As I sat to read, I looked at the scripture, Philippians 4: 10-20.  "Oh Good" I thought, "I need to read about having the strength to 'do all things.'"  I opened my Bible and began to read.  I read and read and realized that somehow I had missed Philippians 4:13 I can do all things, through Christ who gives me strength. 

Where was that verse?  Like so many others, I learned that verse years ago.  It also happens to be one of my son's favorite verses so where was it?  I went to the beginning of the chapter and yes, I was in chapter 4.  I looked at the verse and yes, I was at verse 13 but the scripture did not match the verse.

I looked again just to double check and I was on 4:13.  Knowing this was not right, I looked at the book of the bible I was in and you guessed it...I was in Ephesians not Philippians.

This taught me a lesson.  I have always said, in fact I had just stressed to my bible study class the importance of truly knowing scripture.  When you know scripture and you commit it to memory, then you know when someone quotes or writes it wrong!

The lesson for me was that I knew I wasn't readying Philippians 4:13 and I sought after an answer.

Today, so many people settle for what a pastor, a leader, television, author or a friend say about the Word of God.  There is only one true source and that is the Word of God itself! 

The Sadducees came to Jesus one day with their own theory about marriage at the resurrection.  Jesus had to set them straight and the issue was "they did not know the scriptures or the power of God."

Do you know the scriptures enough to recognize one that is not accurate or manipulated a little?  Learn the Word of God, commit it to the heart and be prepared to recognize it when it is wrong.

Jesus replied,  "You are in error because you do not know the scriptures or the power of God."
Matthew 22:29