Thursday, January 24, 2008
The Courage To Forgive
Ken Stright
Sherbrooke, Nova Scotia, Canada
Forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us. (Luke 11:1-4)
O.K. Why is the Dead Sea called the Dead Sea?
Right. It's dead. Nothing lives in it. Now, why doesn't anything live in it?
Well, it's so salty everything dies. But why is it so salty?
I'm told it is so salty because all the water goes into the Dead Sea but nothing comes out the other end. The Dead Sea doesn't give anything back, it only takes.
God gives forgiveness and invites us to be a people of forgiveness. When we do not give back forgiveness as we have received forgiveness, then we die, at least a little, at least inside where God is trying to make us alive in his love.
God, You are the Forgiver of the faithful and the foolish. We are amazed at Your mercy and forgiveness as expressed in Jesus Christ. Let us live this day as those who have been forgiven and given the opportunity to forgive others!