...to Forgive
The tragic case of the ‘wrong apartment’ killing in Dallas,
wrapped up with the female police officer who shot and killed a young man in
his own apartment convicted of murder. Amber Guyger came home after a 13 hour shift
and says she went to the wrong floor and entered the wrong apartment thinking
it was her own. She killed Botham Jean, who lived in that apartment, claiming
she thought he was an intruder.
She was convicted of murder and sentenced to 10
years in prison. Yesterday, videos went viral on the internet showing that
young man’s brother telling Ms. Guyger to go to Jesus where she could find her
guilt taken away. He asked the judge for permission to go and hug the woman who
killed his brother! His father said he hoped to become her friend. Both
expressed profound forgiveness.
Their choice comes from their devotion to Christ Jesus, from
hearts willing to surrender hatred and bitterness, replacing those corrosive feelings with Jesus’
love. It is such a counter-cultural choice the whole nation paused to consider
it. This brought to mind the choice to
forgive made by grieving Amish families whose chose to forgive the Charlie
Roberts who murdered 5 of their children in a school house shooting in
2006. The choice of Christians who
sincerely forgave the wrong offender stunned the nation then, too.
Forgiveness is a cornerstone of our Christian faith! “If you forgive those who sin against you,
your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others,
your Father will not forgive your sins." (Matthew 6:14-15, NLT) We forgive because we are forgiven and we find
forgiveness in forgiving!
The reason so many refuse to do it is because they do not
really understand what it means to forgive. The common idea is that forgiveness
somehow implies that ‘what you did no longer matters.’ How untrue. God forgives but He is also just.
A person can seek justice, as the family in Dallas did, yet do so without malice
or hatred. The most complete forgiveness, the kind we witnessed yesterday, comes
from the conviction that God is the Ultimate Judge and that He will grant
perfect justice. Genuine forgiveness that goes beyond just saying the right
words is a release of our desire for vengeance, along with any sense that the one
who wronged us owes us something, to God. “Lord, you will give me justice, so I release
this person to You.”
Genuine forgiveness is not easy, never simple, nor does it
come to us naturally. We forgive because our obedience to Christ Jesus as Lord
is greater than our natural desire for retribution.
Jesus teaches us to put our security in God’s hands. “But
I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless
those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on
one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak (coat),
do not stop him from taking your tunic.(shirt) Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone
takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would
have them do to you." (Luke 6:27-31, NIV)
Are you hanging onto a wound, nursing a grudge, hoping the
one who wronged you feels your anger? If
you’re God’s child, you are hurting yourself much more than you are hurting the
offender. That anger, that hate, makes you a prisoner of the person who did you
wrong, keeping you tied to a time and place of pain. Forgive! Give the person,
the pain, the anger, the desire for revenge to the Lord, trusting His perfect
justice. It is a radical choice, but there is great freedom to be found. Pray for faith to make that hard decision. Then,
obey the Spirit’s invitation to forgive.
Here is a word from the Word. "Never pay back evil
for evil to anyone. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are
honorable. Do your part to live in peace with everyone, as much as possible.
Dear friends, never avenge yourselves. Leave that to God. For it is written, “I
will take vengeance; I will repay those who deserve it,” says the Lord.
Instead, do what the Scriptures say: “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If
they are thirsty, give them something to drink, and they will be ashamed of
what they have done to you.” Don’t let evil get the best of you, but conquer
evil by doing good." (Romans 12:17-21, NLT)
_________
The atmosphere is changing now
For the Spirit of the Lord is here
The evidence is all around
That the Spirit of the Lord is here
Overflow in this place
Fill our hearts with your love
Your love surrounds us
You're the reason we came to encounter your love
Your love surrounds us
Spirit of God fall fresh on us
We need your presence
Your kingdom come your will be done
Here as in heaven
A miracle can happen now
For the Spirit of the Lord is here
The evidence is all around
That the Spirit of the Lord is here
Chris Brown | Mack Brock | Matthew Ntlele | Steven Furtick |
Wade Joye
© 2015 Music by Elevation Worship Publishing (Admin. by
Essential Music Publishing LLC)
CCLI License # 810055
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