Forgiveness

First, let me say that it has been a long time since I last posted, which you already know if you have followed. [Are you following?]  I [we] have been busy packing and sorting and then resorting to get down to a manageable size to be able to store a few things while we are in Guyana.  We have had to rethink what is 'essential' several times, but I think we are getting there.

But that is not the topic that is pressing on my mind at the moment.  Forgiveness as a topic has come up several times in the last few days.  We have finished our Bible study of the Gospel of John.  In the second appearance of Jesus after his resurrection [and ascension] he meets the disciples and says, 'If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.' (John 20:22-24)

As the Pastor pointed out, this is the 'great commission' in John - not to go, teach and baptise,  but rather we are told to forgive.  The last bit has bothered me since I was a young child - being able to retain sins at a whim.  But it is not a club we hold over others, rather it shows the power that has been given to humans, and the consequence if we fail in our mission.  If we do not forgive, we miss the opportunity to show God's love. ' For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn [retain the sins of] the world, but that the world might be saved [forgiven] through him.'(John 3:17)

I have been practising to sing Malotte's Lord's Prayer for a funeral which will happen soon.  While going over the markings in the sheet music with the accompanist, we noted that 'Forgive us our debts' is sung a bit faster than what comes before and then 'as we forgive our debtors' is slower.  The accompanist's comment was 'that's because we are slow to forgive.'  Though the comment was humorous, it was nonetheless true.  We are too often slow to forgive, but quick to want it when we err.  A pastor of my youth once told me that 'unfortunately we live in a world where forgiveness is neither understood nor practised.'  It is sad to realise that, since Forgiveness is the heart of the Christian message - not just to forgive when wronged, but to live lives of forgiveness, to have a forgiving spirit, to know that the same forgiveness that God gives to us, we can share with others. 

Lord, give us this spirit always.