OPEN HEAVENS DAILY DEVOTIONAL THURSDAY 3RD OCTOBER 2019: THE CHARACTER OF FORGIVENESS

MEMORISE:
Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. Colossians 3:13

READ: Colossians 3:12-15

3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 3:13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. 3:14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

MESSAGE

To forgive is to decide to reject feelings of resentment between you and a person who has wronged you. This isn’t always easy, especially when a person has really hurt and trampled on you. However, forgiveness is a mandate for Christians; no one can profess to be a genuine Christian and not live a lifestyle of forgiveness. Our Lord said to us in Matthew 6:15:

“But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

This verse clearly states what happens when we refuse to forgive anyone who wrongs us: we too will not be forgiven by our heavenly Father. In other words, forgiving our offenders isn’t just an instruction to be obeyed; it is a matter of life or death for us, because if our sins are not forgiven, then we are doomed eternally. Unforgiveness is therefore not something to be toyed with at all.

As partakers of His divine nature, God expects our forgiveness to take on the character of His forgiveness. For example, the Holy Spirit says in Jeremiah 31:34:

“And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

This verse is telling us that forgiveness should not be temporary. In other words, when you forgive, God expects you to forgive once and for all. As a child of God therefore, you don’t see someone you supposedly forgave months ago and immediately feel resentment for that fellow. When you forgive someone, you forever let go of every hurt and pain that the fellow caused you.

Another character of forgiveness is that it takes just one person to forgive. Forgiveness is not the same as reconciliation where the two parties involved are required to meet and make up. With forgiveness, you don’t have to wait for the person who offended you to come and apologise for whatever they did. You have to forgive even before being asked. Forgiveness is not about the fellow who offended you; it is about you and your relationship with God. Forgiveness is not easy. In fact, it can be extremely difficult to forgive, but as a Christian, you are required to forgive no matter how hard it is. Are you walking in forgiveness?

ACTION POINT:
Has anyone offended you? Forgive them today.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
1 Chronicles 6-7, Daniel 11:29-45

AUTHOR: PASTOR E. A. ADEBOYE

HYMN 5: LET OTHERS SEE JESUS IN YOU

1. While passing thro’ this world of sin,
and others your life shall view,
Be clean and pure without, within;
Let others see Jesus in you.

Chorus:
Let others see Jesus in you,
Let others see Jesus in you.
Keep telling the story, be faithful and true;
Let others see Jesus in you.

2. Your life’s a book before their eyes,
They’re reading it thro’ and thro’
Say, does it point them to the skis,
Do others see Jesus in you?

3. Then live for Christ both day and night,
Be faithful, be brave and true,
and lead the lost to life and Christ.
Let others see Jesus in you.

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