Theme for this week: “Forgiveness”
January 11, 2022 (Tuesday)
When I was in the First Grade, I learned to say the Lord’s Prayer as part of our daily exercises, and the version I learned had the line, “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” The second part of that statement is vitally important and forms the basis for this blog today. We need to forgive others.
When we were infants, we were at the mercy of those who took care of us and we cooperated, gradually learning to expect certain routines like being turned over and having our diapers changed. As we grew older, however, we learned that we have feelings of our own, and we learned to resist or object to actions that displeased us. That, evidently, was the beginning of resentments and grudges that we nursed as we grew up.
That’s all well and good, as long as we are talking about infants. But our coping mechanisms became more sophisticated and personal as we grew, and at some point we were able to say, “I don’t like him or her.” From that point in our lives, we learned to like or dislike people on the basis of how we felt they were treating us. Some of us were taught to “stick up for yourself.” Others were taught to submit and attempt to make peace.
There can be no doubt that Jesus taught us to forgive others, based on His suggestion that we include a promise to do so when we pray. He went much further on that subject in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:38-48 NIV).(<--hover only)
O.K. here we are. It’s January 11, 2022, and we are trying to think of ways to make this a better year than last year. Jesus tells us to forgive others, and we know from experience that, even though that may be hard for us to do, it’s the only way we are going to have peace of mind and experience a new beginning in our lives. So, how about it? Anybody done you wrong? Can you forgive? Jesus says you can, and you must, if you are going to have “the peace of God which passes all understanding.”
When you finally let go of resentment, hatred and anger you will be open to the presence of the Holy Spirit, who wants to produce in you: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, genetleness, and self control. You will be able to sing:
PEACE, LIKE A RIVER
Vinesong Ministries
Contemporary Praise
[Musical Intro]
Peace like a river,
Love like a mountain,
The wind of your Spirit
Is blowing everywhere.
Joy like a fountain
Healing spring of life
Come, Holy Spirit
Let your fire fall.
Peace like a river
Love like a mountain
The Wind of Your Spirit
Is flowing everywhere.
Joy like a fountain
Healing spring of life
Come, Holy Spirit
Let your fire fall.
Come Holy Spirit
Let your fire fall.
Come Holy Spirit
Let your Fire Fall.
Soft Musical Background (1 minute)
Praises
Come, Holy Spirit
Let your fire fall.
Come, Holy Spirit
Let your fire fall.
Come, Holy Spirit,
Let your Fire Fall.