“Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.” Matthew 18:21-22

 “I’m sorry for being mean today,”  Little One says. Sissy replies: “It’s ok. I was mean too. And I’m sorry.”

They laughed, hugged and turned to their music: “You make everything glooorious, I am Yoooours!” They sang and danced together.

Sitting at my desk and smiling ear to ear, I remember hearing God whisper:

“They bless my heart.”

That happened several years ago, but I remember it vividly. The easy way our children extended forgiveness to each other was then and is today one of the many reasons I am so proud to be their mom.

F.O.R.G.I.V.E.N.E.S.S.

Is there anything harder to break through, more difficult to master, than asking for and extending forgiveness?

I think not.

And yet, it’s evident that those who forgive have a richer, more peaceful life than those who hold grudges or are too prideful to admit when they’re wrong.

Truly, I firmly believe that forgiveness is one of the keys to an abundant life. On the other hand, lack of forgiveness is the reason behind much of people’s stress and misery. And even though unforgiveness hurts the one who does not forgive much deeper than it hurts the offender, it is certainly the natural response in the natural world.

Unforgiveness hurts the one who does not forgive much deeper than it hurts the offender. #MondayMotivation #MondayDevotional
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Take the movie industry, for example. In many movies and TV series, revenge is the central point of the plot in many blockbusters. Turning the other cheek? Nope. “Revenge belongs to ME”, the world cries out.

But what about us, Jesus followers? How do we respond to repeated offenses?

“Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” 

Let’s be honest. We can relate to Peter. As a matter of fact, our dear apostle thought he was being “extra spiritual” when he asked the Lord if forgiving seven times was enough. After all, he had heard Jewish rabbis teach that forgiving the same offender three times was sufficient.

Jesus exposed the true issue behind this concept: Peter was holding a forgiveness meter. His words showed that he intended to measure up the injuries done to him. When the measure was full, he would be allowed to avenge the wrongdoing. Therefore he still thought of himself as a judge somewhat, when God tells us that “there’s only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy…” James 4:12 a

“Seventy times seven”, Jesus said.

Seven. The number that represents completion. Perfection. Righteousness revealed. Indeed – is there anything more righteous than extending grace and forgiveness to the undeserving? Is there anything more Christ-like than saying: “It’s ok… I’ve been mean too. I forgive you.”

(Just as my daughter told her little sister…)

Or do we tend to behave as the slave in the Parable of the Unforgiving Debtor on Matthew 18, whose huge debt was completely forgiven by his Master, and yet, was unable to extend the same forgiveness to his fellow slave? The measure of his debt couldn’t compare to the amount his friend owed him. In today’s money, his Master had forgiven him a debt equivalent to over $ 10 million dollars. A fortune! His friend owed him about $15 dollars. Still, he would not forgive him.

Sounds ridiculous, right?

And it is. Yet, Jesus’ message rings with the intensity of the meaning behind this parable: How dare we withhold a smudge of grace from our brothers and sisters, when we were lavished by grace through His precious blood?

How dare we withhold a smudge of grace from our brothers and sisters, when we were lavished by grace through His precious blood? #MondayMotivation #MondayDevotional
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No, it’s not easy. I don’t claim it to be. But forgiveness is not an option. It’s a demand. We must forgive, lest we impair our connection with the Father. He can’t extend grace when we withhold it from our neighbor. The Bible is filled with reminders of that truth. (Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 3:13; Luke 6:37; Romans 12:19)

Forgiveness is not an option. It’s a demand.
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“Will you forgive AGAIN?” God may be asking you today.

Will you forgive that person who hurt you for the seventh, one-hundredth time? Will you let go of the pain that someone so deeply inflicted in your past? Will you forgive them… one more time?

What should your answer be?

A twelve-year-old’s life lesson is your answer: “Yes, I will, Father. Because I’ve been mean to others too.”

May God teach our hearts to forgive Seventy times seven… in other words, always and completely… Enough to become more like Jesus.

May God teach our hearts to forgive Seventy times seven… in other words, always and completely… Enough to become more like Jesus. #MondayMotivation #MondayDevotional
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The two men looked at each other, incredulous. They watched as Moses and Aaron fell face down in front of the assembly, a sign of their great distress.

Without a word, the two spies torn their garments, grieving over the disbelief that spread in the camp. They heard loud cries coming from everywhere, and could not believe their ears at the sound of the same old complaints:

“If only we had died in Egypt!”

“We can’t defeat them. We will all die in Canaan!”

“Let us choose a new leader to take us back to Egypt!”

They had been set free from bondage and watched as God delivered and protected them through a series of miraculous events. Now, with the Promised Land at arm’s reach, they refused to trust and obey. They gave ears to the reports from the ten skeptical spies who returned with a bad report, instead of trusting God’s words that echoed from Caleb and Joshua’s lips.

I can only imagine what went through the foursome’s minds. Moses, Aaron, Caleb and Joshua, watching the multitude of Jews denying God’s promise, anguished by the decision of the majority… knowing that there would be serious consequences for their stubborn disbelief.

You know the story: As consequence of their rebellious and faithless spirits, the entire nation is left to wander in circles through the wilderness for 40 years.  Every Jew, 20 years old and up, died without entering God’s Promise Land. A whole generation missed God’s best… and never entered His rest.

The tragic account is told in detail in Numbers 13-14.

Later, as the younger generation led by Joshua entered Canaan, it was just a matter of time before the sins of the fathers crept into their children’s hearts. Unbelief, idolatry and ingratitude ooze from the pages of the historical books in the Old Testament, as God’s people tested His lovingkindness all the way to captivity. Déjà vu.

I just finished a long and detailed study of the Old Testament’s historical books. For over a year, I have studied the Jews’ behavior towards God, and the nation’s spiritual ups and downs. I have marveled at the miracles afresh, and shook my head at their blunt disobedience and lack of faith. Every account brought me either joy… or conviction, as I was reminded of how much Israel’s history mirrors my own.

I wish I could tell you I have come to a place where unbelief is never a problem anymore… or that idols don’t still try to creep in, clouding my devotion to the Savior.

But you know better.

You know it, because you are Israel too. We all are.

We have watched the waters part before us… and then wondered whether God could defeat the next giant.

We have feasted on Mana until our bellies were full… and then complained that it was not as tasty as the fruit we ate as slaves in Egypt.

We have longed for the pleasures of Egypt, while forgetting they cost our peace and freedom.

We have melted our golden calves, just to turn our hearts to idols of clay.

We have left Egypt… and then sinned our way to captivity again.

We have believed, and then doubted… obeyed, and then rebelled. Up… and down… and then up once more.

Seesaw religion.

Can you relate, my friend? Do you still often find yourself on a spiritual seesaw, feeling like Daddy’s first grader, all over again?

It may be a stronghold that you thought you had mastered… or a temptation that creeps into your mind more often than you wish to admit.

It may be a task that you know you are unqualified to carry out… or unforgiveness that keeps you anchored to the wilderness of defeat.

Or maybe you allow discouragement to take a hold of your heart, as Satan uses naysayers to make you feel inadequate and weak.

Today you are up… tomorrow you are down.

Seesaw Faith. E.x.h.a.u.s.t.i.n.g.

Are you tired yet? I know I was.

If you are there, I would like to challenge you with this mighty Truth: Our loving Father is ever near, prodding our hearts to come back to Him.

It wasn’t God who abandoned Israel. It was Israel who turned their hearts from following Him, every single time. And yet, each time they repented, cried out and chose to obey and trust Him, Yahweh rejoiced in restoring their relationship, planting their feet on the Land Flowing with Milk and Honey again.

That’s the great Grace of God – Grace that invites us to start over with a clean slate.
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On the other hand, so long as we allow the bad reports, the giants of fear, the tentacles of sin and unbelief, or the opinions of others to steal our peace or make us stumble, we will never graduate from the elementary school of Seesaw Faith.

We will never enter His rest.

But today, His Amazing Grace cries out to you and me:

Do not harden your hearts as when they (the Jews) provoked me (Hebrews 3:15-19.) Instead, trust me… Believe in Me… Obey me…

Let My Words drown the giants, the fears, the appetites. Bring them all into submission to the knowledge of whom You are in Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5)
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Forgiven. Righteous. Strong. Beloved. That’s how I see you. 

So, enter My rest. For the Work and the battle are Mine, and Mine alone.

Your only job is to rest in Me.

The post Lord, Save Me from Seesaw Faith! appeared first on Soaring With Him Ministries.