Forgive and forget? Forgive and forgive!
by Pastor Chris Mann
Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.
‘If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them’ (Luke 17:4).
Rebuke, repent, forgive. Rebuke, repent, forgive. Rebuke, repent, forgive. Rebuke, repent, forgive. Rebuke, repent, forgive. Rebuke, repent, forgive. Rebuke, repent, forgive.
I hope you got tired of reading that. I sure got tired of typing it. You may say, ‘Why didn’t he just copy and paste?’ Well, it’s like this:
Forgiveness, human relationships, sin – while it is the same in some senses, in other ways, it is different. It is always difficult. It is always exhausting. And when a sin comes up again and again, it is worse again.
Yet the disposition of God toward each of us is one of ongoing forgiveness. He rebukes our sin, we repent, and he forgives.
It’s like God knows that most of the time, change is not easy, simple, or straightforward, especially when it is habitual sin – and he chooses to love us anyway!
Of course, God does know this!
Do you know someone who commits the same sin, over and over again, and never seems to change? Of course!
Did you also know that there is someone, a friend, family member, loved one of yours, who thinks of you when asked that same question?
We all have things we are wrestling with, sins we can’t seem to defeat, and issues we can’t seem to resolve.
Praise God that he forgives us and we can go again with fresh mercy and grace! Praise God that we can do the same for others.
Lord Jesus, thank you for your continual forgiveness of us. Help us to live the same way for others. Amen.
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