kayte
Aug 11th 2004, 05:07 PM
Chapter Seven
Matthew 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we
Forgive our debtors.
Have you come to this place in prayer? Has God brought some crisis to you so that you can learn to pray and live in this place of forgiveness?
Or do you live your life as a victim by clinging to the wrongs that have been committed against you?
Genesis 37-50 tells us of Joseph’s life. If a man had cause to harbor unforgiveness it was Joseph. Because of jealousy his brothers turned against him, desiring his death. They roughly swiped his coat and dumped him into a pit. After enjoying a good meal, they hauled him from the pit and sold him into slavery, joyfully watching him be dragged away.
Joseph clung to God and served Him well in his position of slave. But his master’s wife took a fancy to Joseph and repeatedly tried to seduce him. When Joseph did what was right and ran from her, she lied and told everyone that he had tried to rape her.
Joseph spent over two years of his life in prison for her lies.
Pharaoh’s chief butler was imprisoned and Joseph consoled and helped him. When he was released he meant to help Joseph… but he forgot.
Just a few sins committed against Joseph! But for God, Joseph would have spent his life dreaming of revenge, wallowing in hatred, steeped in self-pity. And he had every right.
Once Pharaoh made Joseph second in command and set him over all the land of Egypt, Joseph could have done any number of things. He could have made his brothers suffer as he had suffered.
He could have had them hunted down and killed. He could have had them thrown into prison. He could have taken them into slavery.
Joseph could have exacted revenge against the woman that falsely accused him and sent him to prison. Remember, he was only second to the king in power now.
He could have made the chief butlers life miserable…
He could have. But he didn’t.
Joseph chose to give up his rights to revenge, his rights to self-pity, his rights to justice. He chose to give up his rights to his own life, his own way, and his own will… and devote himself to God.
Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
We cannot be devoted to the cause of forgiving so others will know God. Rather we must be devoted to Him so we can forgive.
This world is unjust, yet the Lord tells us to do justly. This world is unfair, yet the Lord tells us to deal fairly. Unrighteousness abounds, yet He instructs us to righteousness.
When we suffer, He teaches us to trust Him. When we’re wounded, He tells us to forgive.
I came to Him wounded. Wounds that deeply pierced my heart and mind in the wake of others sins committed against me.
I was sold into slavery to fear. I was a captive to anger and tormenting dreams. Twisted pride, humiliation, guilt and sorrow were constant companions.
When I discovered His forgiveness, I assumed all would be well, in an instant. After all… He had the power to forgive and to breathe life into my spirit in an instant of time.
I was in for what I considered a rude awakening. The Lord didn’t want to merely give me a healed heart; He wanted me to have a changed heart. And that meant I must walk out of the wasteland I had lived in instead of being happily transported.
Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this
world, but be transformed by the renewing of
your mind, that you may prove what is that
good and perfect will of God.
To be transformed by the renewing of ours minds means that we must lay aside everything we’ve justified. Everything about ourselves that is conformed to this world. Everything that separated us from God and exalts itself against the knowledge of Him.
We must be undone and remade that the mind of Christ may be in us. (Philippians 2:5)
Forgiveness is one of the most difficult, grating things we’re called to do. It is a matter of dying to self, of forfeiting our rights. We feel as though somehow we’ll lose an important part of ourselves and that we’ll become weak… mere doormats for others to tromp across.
What we don’t see till we’ve gone to the other side and actually live in that place of forgiveness is the freedom. The crimes committed against us lose their power. We no longer live ‘in’ what was done to us as though it were being done new every time we think of it.
Forgiveness is not a position of weakness, but of strength.
The consequences of others sins may still be ours to bear, but when we live in forgiveness, we no longer bear it alone. The burden of it is lifted to the shoulders of our Lord and His grace is imparted to our hearts. And it is sufficient.
#
Genesis 41:50-52
And to Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, whom Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah, priest of On, bore him.
Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh:
“For God has made me forget all my toil and all my father’s house.”
And the name of the second he called Ephraim: “For God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.”
Joseph obviously had found peace with God. Because he chose to forgive, God mended his heart… “For God has made me forget all my toil…”
It’s not like God blocked that part of Joseph’s life from his memory… no. It was that he no longer lived in the toil of it. He was no longer a captive to it’s burden.
Verse 52: “For God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.”
Interesting choice of words. Most of us would decidedly prefer to write our own sentence something like: “For God delivered me from the land of affliction and set a basket of fruit on my porch.”
Joseph knew God was with him. He knew the touch of the Fathers hand in his life and in his heart. “For God has caused…” God is in control. God caused. God is never taken by surprise. God works all things together for good for those called according to His purposes.
“For God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.”
God’s desire… His will is that we know Him and from knowing Him that we bear good fruit.
Joseph didn’t live in a state of denial. He owned his past. (His past did not own him). He understood the land of affliction and he claimed it as his own. “The land of ‘my’ affliction.”
I can say like Joseph, “It is in the land of my affliction that God caused me to be fruitful.”
Genesis 50:19-21
Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I
in the place of God?
But as for you, you meant evil against me; but
God meant it for good, in order to bring it about
as it is this day, to save many people alive.
Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide
for you and your little ones.” And he comforted
them and spoke kindly to them.
Joseph didn’t suddenly come to forgiveness and understanding of Gods plan here. He had been living in this place for years.
Forgiveness had long before been worked out in his heart. The provision of forgiveness was already in place to be freely given when his brothers repented.
So it is with God. Forgiveness is there. The provision has been made. It is ours when we ask and repent.
Even though there can’t be ‘completed’ forgiveness unless the offender repents, we are still commanded to live in forgiveness. The provision must be completely in place in our hearts and minds.
Forgive, and when they repent… restore.
#
Heavenly Father, help us to forgive those that that have injured us. Make it real in our lives. If we have only given lip service to this most important command… show us. Lord, thank You that nothing can come to us but through Your loving hand. Thank You that You take what others meant for harm and use for good. Do that in each of our lives Father.
Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
By the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ we come
Amen
#
Study questions
1) Try reading “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” as: “Forgive us our debts just like we forgive our debtors.” If God were to forgive you just like you’ve forgiven others… how would you stand?
2) In Galatians 5, one of the fruits of the Spirit is longsuffering. Is this a fruit in your life or are you overly sensitive to the ‘little slights’ that occur in day to day life?
3) Joseph did not leave ‘his land of affliction’ till the day he died and went to be with the Lord. Can you see all the good that God brought out of Joseph’s affliction? Are you willing for God to do the same in your life?
4) In Luke 17 Jesus tells us to go to the one that has sinned against us, and if he repents, to forgive. If the one/ones that have sinned against you were to come to you now, is the provision of forgiveness already in place in your heart?
5) As you pray, “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors”, do you stumble on the second part?
6) If you are harboring unforgiveness and can't seem to find your way to God with it, please talk to someone about it and stop treating it as a small unimportant thing.
copyright 2002 tkc
Matthew 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we
Forgive our debtors.
Have you come to this place in prayer? Has God brought some crisis to you so that you can learn to pray and live in this place of forgiveness?
Or do you live your life as a victim by clinging to the wrongs that have been committed against you?
Genesis 37-50 tells us of Joseph’s life. If a man had cause to harbor unforgiveness it was Joseph. Because of jealousy his brothers turned against him, desiring his death. They roughly swiped his coat and dumped him into a pit. After enjoying a good meal, they hauled him from the pit and sold him into slavery, joyfully watching him be dragged away.
Joseph clung to God and served Him well in his position of slave. But his master’s wife took a fancy to Joseph and repeatedly tried to seduce him. When Joseph did what was right and ran from her, she lied and told everyone that he had tried to rape her.
Joseph spent over two years of his life in prison for her lies.
Pharaoh’s chief butler was imprisoned and Joseph consoled and helped him. When he was released he meant to help Joseph… but he forgot.
Just a few sins committed against Joseph! But for God, Joseph would have spent his life dreaming of revenge, wallowing in hatred, steeped in self-pity. And he had every right.
Once Pharaoh made Joseph second in command and set him over all the land of Egypt, Joseph could have done any number of things. He could have made his brothers suffer as he had suffered.
He could have had them hunted down and killed. He could have had them thrown into prison. He could have taken them into slavery.
Joseph could have exacted revenge against the woman that falsely accused him and sent him to prison. Remember, he was only second to the king in power now.
He could have made the chief butlers life miserable…
He could have. But he didn’t.
Joseph chose to give up his rights to revenge, his rights to self-pity, his rights to justice. He chose to give up his rights to his own life, his own way, and his own will… and devote himself to God.
Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
We cannot be devoted to the cause of forgiving so others will know God. Rather we must be devoted to Him so we can forgive.
This world is unjust, yet the Lord tells us to do justly. This world is unfair, yet the Lord tells us to deal fairly. Unrighteousness abounds, yet He instructs us to righteousness.
When we suffer, He teaches us to trust Him. When we’re wounded, He tells us to forgive.
I came to Him wounded. Wounds that deeply pierced my heart and mind in the wake of others sins committed against me.
I was sold into slavery to fear. I was a captive to anger and tormenting dreams. Twisted pride, humiliation, guilt and sorrow were constant companions.
When I discovered His forgiveness, I assumed all would be well, in an instant. After all… He had the power to forgive and to breathe life into my spirit in an instant of time.
I was in for what I considered a rude awakening. The Lord didn’t want to merely give me a healed heart; He wanted me to have a changed heart. And that meant I must walk out of the wasteland I had lived in instead of being happily transported.
Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this
world, but be transformed by the renewing of
your mind, that you may prove what is that
good and perfect will of God.
To be transformed by the renewing of ours minds means that we must lay aside everything we’ve justified. Everything about ourselves that is conformed to this world. Everything that separated us from God and exalts itself against the knowledge of Him.
We must be undone and remade that the mind of Christ may be in us. (Philippians 2:5)
Forgiveness is one of the most difficult, grating things we’re called to do. It is a matter of dying to self, of forfeiting our rights. We feel as though somehow we’ll lose an important part of ourselves and that we’ll become weak… mere doormats for others to tromp across.
What we don’t see till we’ve gone to the other side and actually live in that place of forgiveness is the freedom. The crimes committed against us lose their power. We no longer live ‘in’ what was done to us as though it were being done new every time we think of it.
Forgiveness is not a position of weakness, but of strength.
The consequences of others sins may still be ours to bear, but when we live in forgiveness, we no longer bear it alone. The burden of it is lifted to the shoulders of our Lord and His grace is imparted to our hearts. And it is sufficient.
#
Genesis 41:50-52
And to Joseph were born two sons before the years of famine came, whom Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah, priest of On, bore him.
Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh:
“For God has made me forget all my toil and all my father’s house.”
And the name of the second he called Ephraim: “For God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.”
Joseph obviously had found peace with God. Because he chose to forgive, God mended his heart… “For God has made me forget all my toil…”
It’s not like God blocked that part of Joseph’s life from his memory… no. It was that he no longer lived in the toil of it. He was no longer a captive to it’s burden.
Verse 52: “For God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.”
Interesting choice of words. Most of us would decidedly prefer to write our own sentence something like: “For God delivered me from the land of affliction and set a basket of fruit on my porch.”
Joseph knew God was with him. He knew the touch of the Fathers hand in his life and in his heart. “For God has caused…” God is in control. God caused. God is never taken by surprise. God works all things together for good for those called according to His purposes.
“For God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.”
God’s desire… His will is that we know Him and from knowing Him that we bear good fruit.
Joseph didn’t live in a state of denial. He owned his past. (His past did not own him). He understood the land of affliction and he claimed it as his own. “The land of ‘my’ affliction.”
I can say like Joseph, “It is in the land of my affliction that God caused me to be fruitful.”
Genesis 50:19-21
Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I
in the place of God?
But as for you, you meant evil against me; but
God meant it for good, in order to bring it about
as it is this day, to save many people alive.
Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide
for you and your little ones.” And he comforted
them and spoke kindly to them.
Joseph didn’t suddenly come to forgiveness and understanding of Gods plan here. He had been living in this place for years.
Forgiveness had long before been worked out in his heart. The provision of forgiveness was already in place to be freely given when his brothers repented.
So it is with God. Forgiveness is there. The provision has been made. It is ours when we ask and repent.
Even though there can’t be ‘completed’ forgiveness unless the offender repents, we are still commanded to live in forgiveness. The provision must be completely in place in our hearts and minds.
Forgive, and when they repent… restore.
#
Heavenly Father, help us to forgive those that that have injured us. Make it real in our lives. If we have only given lip service to this most important command… show us. Lord, thank You that nothing can come to us but through Your loving hand. Thank You that You take what others meant for harm and use for good. Do that in each of our lives Father.
Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
By the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ we come
Amen
#
Study questions
1) Try reading “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” as: “Forgive us our debts just like we forgive our debtors.” If God were to forgive you just like you’ve forgiven others… how would you stand?
2) In Galatians 5, one of the fruits of the Spirit is longsuffering. Is this a fruit in your life or are you overly sensitive to the ‘little slights’ that occur in day to day life?
3) Joseph did not leave ‘his land of affliction’ till the day he died and went to be with the Lord. Can you see all the good that God brought out of Joseph’s affliction? Are you willing for God to do the same in your life?
4) In Luke 17 Jesus tells us to go to the one that has sinned against us, and if he repents, to forgive. If the one/ones that have sinned against you were to come to you now, is the provision of forgiveness already in place in your heart?
5) As you pray, “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors”, do you stumble on the second part?
6) If you are harboring unforgiveness and can't seem to find your way to God with it, please talk to someone about it and stop treating it as a small unimportant thing.
copyright 2002 tkc