God's word in today's world

Forgiveness for the murderer


Click here to go to the Scripture: 2 Corinthians 2:1-11

Let’s read this Scripture again: 6 What the majority of you agreed to as punishment is punishment enough. 7Now is the time to forgive this man and help him back on his feet. If all you do is pour on the guilt, you could very well drown him in it. 8My counsel now is to pour on the love.

And while I was meditating about these verses, I received an e-mail from our prayer friends. It was a wonderful testimony about forgiveness by Alma (not her real name). I realised that this was God’s way of bringing home the Scripture of 2 000 years ago today:

All honour to Jesus! Who am I not to forgive if Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and while on the cross said to God to forgive the people, because they did not know what they were doing!

The day I walked out of court after the trial for my husband’s murder and the accused was acquitted I said with tears in my eyes: I hope that that man has the Lord in his life! Because I still believed that it was unjust that he should walk free!

Little did I know what powerful words those were. Ten years later I looked the accused up on Facebook out of curiosity! I was so surprised to see one of the photographs with quotes by Jesus and that he (the accused) was guilt free! Awesome, awesome, awesome. My words became true! He had Jesus in his life!

Thank you, Jesus, for taking each of us on a journey!

At the same time Jesus helped me understand the words of forgiveness! If Jesus can do it for me, He can do it for the accused as well! And I go with Jesus until I reach acceptance, because through His death my late husband had led one man to Jesus! And who am I to stand in the way of this, to cry about it! Yes, death is terrible for those who stay behind, but it is not about me anymore! It’s not about a little boy who has to grow up without his dad! All I actually want to say is: My late husband’s death was worth it, and actually so very special! Yes, Jesus, it’s actually so awesome, because each of us is washed clean with Jesus’ blood on the cross! We are all debt free!

And in His death Jesus left each of us life everlasting! So many need to know that Jesus has done this for everybody! All that we have to do is to accept Him and to share His message of unconditional love!

Thank you for a Wonderful, Almighty God who heals us and makes us whole!
Thank you that I could share this with you and everybody else who can accept this message and praise and honour Jesus for it! Amen

It is possible to build a bridge of forgiveness. It is possible to take the stone from your shoe. It is possible to forget. It is possible to care for the person who hurt you so much. It is all possible with the Holy Spirit holding you by the hand.

Reflection

Who do you have to forgive?

Can you do it?

Who do you have to care for?

Prayer

Father, You are Lord. You know everything about forgiving and forgetting and caring. For me it’s not so easy. I cannot do it on my own. But I do know that real forgiving and forgetting and caring are possible through the working of the Holy Spirit. Please help me to be sensitive to the guidance of the Holy Spirit and to obey and to do what You guide me to do. Amen

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