Forgiveness

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January 9

Thursday, January 9th, 2025

One of the most confusing exchanges in Genesis is the life of Jacob and Esau.  When in the womb, there was friction. In fact, Rebekah was told that there were two nations within her. When born Esau came first, but Jacob came out hanging onto his heel. That would seem to be the story of their whole lives.

Esau taking things for granted; Jacob always plotting.

Esau became a hunter; Jacob felt more at home, well…at home. Isaac loved Esau. Rebekah loved Jacob. If that doesn’t spell disaster I don’t know what does!  I’ve seen the whole divided favoritism thing play out in real life and it NEVER turns out well.

Esau takes off hunting. Jacob stays home and makes a red stew. Esau has a lousy day hunting and comes home famished. So famished he thought he would die. Jacob, always the conniver, gets his brother to give up his birthright for a pot of stew. Perhaps Esau never thought much about it again but Jacob didn’t forget. You can bet your bottom dollar on that!

Fast forward a few years and Isaac is blind. He senses the end is near so he commissions Esau to go out and kill some game, cook it, bring it to him, and he will bless him as his firstborn son. Enter Rebekah who overhears the conversation. She calls Jacob and they set up a scheme. To his credit, Jacob doesn’t seem to be totally into the scheme of tricking his father that he is Esau. But he follows through with it and while Isaac questions who is in front of him, Jacob is complicit in the lie. He receives the blessing reserved for Esau, the firstborn. When Esau returned with the game, he found out Jacob was up to his old tricks again. This time he vows revenge so Rebekah convinces Jacob to run to her brother’s. Jacob does that and if there is such a thing as “turn about is fair play” Jacob was the recipient. After working 7 years to marry Rachel, Laban tricked him into marrying Leah instead. He worked another seven years to marry Rachel. The con got conned.  (A retelling of Genesis 25:19-34; 27:1-29:35)

Did you ever wonder why some stories are in the Bible? Well…I don’t really wonder why on this. God definitely shows us through the story of Jacob that imperfect people can still fulfill His purpose. Just think about it: that is all He has anyway. 🙂  But Jacob? WOW!!

There is hope for me. True, I never cheated anyone out of a birthright or stole a blessing intended for the firstborn. (BTW: I am the oldest, but not firstborn). But I have cheated. I have connived. I have lied. I have pretended to be someone I’m not. I’ve taken advantage of people. And the list goes on. BUT I’M ALSO REDEEMED. I’m also a new creation. I’m also a child of the King. I’m also proof God is in the restoration business.

I’m thankful for the story of Jacob. It is quite revealing.

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January 2

Thursday, January 2nd, 2025

One of my takeaways from the Everyday Gospel Devotion for today is the devastation that sin has. I know. I know. I already know that. I have seen it and lived it. I have experienced the devastation in my own life, enough to not be shocked by it. But that still does not stop me from sometimes doing what Adam and Eve did in Genesis 3. When confronted by God in the Garden as they hid from Him, Adam blamed Eve and Eve blamed the serpent. Personal responsibility? What is that?

Yeah…been there done that. Worse is the denial of sin or trying to minimize it. It is so much easier to look at someone else and point a finger at their sin than for me to look inward and realize, “Oh man. I’m just as bad or worse.” The comparison game is so insidious. Their worst vs my not-so-worst.  Not a fair fight!!  But that is human nature at its “finest.” It is far easier to be more concerned about or irritated by the sin of others than my own. I was reading just yesterday about a preacher and an intern who were going to talk to a man who really messed up when the pastor asked the intern about whether he could commit that sin. The intern said, “Oh no way!” The pastor told him that he better stay away and he would go himself, because unless he realizes he could commit that same sin, he should not visit the man. I totally agree. The moment you and I think we are incapable of committing a sin is the moment we become the most vulnerable. I also remember reading about a pastor who publicly proclaimed that he would never cheat on his wife. There was a woman in the audience that day who took him up on that challenge. Needless to say, the end result was not a good one.

Minimizing sin by either not seeing its “power factor” or thinking “it would never be me” is a dangerous game to play. It immediately puts us in the crosshairs of the Hunter (our enemy, Satan) who will consider it a challenge causing us to fall.  And he will use every means possible to make that happen.  I think we can all agree that sin is real. In fact, before Cain killed Abel (Genesis 4) God warned Cain that his anger and jealousy would be his downfall. Not long after that Cain killed Abel.

The words found in Genesis 6 are frightening. It says, “God saw the wickedness in the heart of man and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” It also says that it “grieved God’s heart and He regretted that He made man on the earth.” Those are devastating words to read. The flood followed.

We can’t handle sin on our own. The best gift ever given was God’s redeeming grace. Sin loses its power when stacked against that.

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January 1

Wednesday, January 1st, 2025

As I said in yesterday’s post, the chances of anyone reading this today are slim to very slim (maybe none).  In that post I commented how I had preached on Feels Like Home during the months of September and October. Earlier in the year I had read several books which gave me an idea to write something. Those books were Feels Like Home by Lee Eclov; Glad You’re Here by Walker Hayes and Craig Cooper; and Just Show Up by Drew Dyck. I was inspired reading those books and got a hair-brained idea to write something. OVCF, the church I pastor, recited it occasionally early in the year, but when I preached in September and October we did it almost weekly. It is part of our DNA. We have not recited it since the last Sunday in October but will start 2025 off by saying it together. I thought I would share it with you today:

WE’RE GLAD YOU ARE HERE!

If you are happy we want to celebrate with you.

If you are tired and need rest;

If you are hurting and need comfort;

If you have failed, feel guilt and shame and wonder if God still loves you;

If you feel you are at the end of your rope and need a lifeline;

If you think you are too great a sinner and feel hopeless;

If you are here but can’t raise your eyes, head, or hands in worship…

That’s okay. We want this to be a place where you find strength to go on. Let us pray for you, stand beside you and even carry you to God’s throne where you can find new hope.

Maybe you need to read or hear this today. You may never be able to attend OVCF or have a personal conversation with me, but I want you to know there is a God who is always available, always accessible, and will NEVER turn you away…no matter your state. May 2025 be the year of an encounter with Jesus for you. 

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Guest Post-Ryan Spires

Wednesday, November 13th, 2024

It was around 2007 that I met Ryan, Amanda, Dominick, Keegan and Aleah Spires. They had moved into the area from Nashville, TN and had begun a correspondence with one of the men in the church. Chris was the administrator of our church website. After their first visit, we went to Chicago’s Pizza in Elletsville (where they were living) and a friendship began to develop that still stands today. They have moved to Martinsville, IN, about 30-40 miles away, but we still try to get together for a meal. Sometimes Ryan and I have ridden bikes together.  Dominick has recently married. Keegan has moved near Indianapolis to work. Aleah is pursuing a college degree while working at Starbucks. So their household has changed. What hasn’t changed is our friendship. In fact, we got together just this past Friday night for supper. Sadly, Texas Roadhouse was so busy the wait was 55 minutes with no parking spots available! We went just down the road to Cheddars. But the best part of the evening was the laughter we shared.

When I mentioned that I would be posting guest posts while I was rehabbing from my knee replacement surgery, Ryan submitted the following. He told me I could post it…or not. As if…

As I finished up reading Chapter 18, titled “Counted As Warriors” from Brent Henderson’s book The Roar Within, Brent provides a laundry list of emotions, feelings, and thoughts that the enemy had been shooting at him during a low time in his life.   As I read the list, I could see myself clearly writing most of the same.  I even added a few additional.  Satan likes to take the truth and twist it just enough to make it sound like it is plausible.   This is his standard operating procedure and has been that way since the garden. 

How often does he do that with me, with us?  Perhaps he twists the truth enough to believe a little white lie is not all that harmful.   Perhaps he twists the truth enough to justify our negative reaction to our spouse’s or kid’s actions.  Perhaps he twists the truth enough to make us believe that we are to worthless, too sinful, too shameful, too hurt, too broken, too <fill in the blank> to make a difference… So we stop.

The list Brent shared includes items like disappointment, worthless, divorced, unable to please. I added a few of my own: weak, unsupportive, lazy, hypocritical, numb.

I am sure we all have a list of lies we have believed or currently believing. So what do we say when we counter the lies from the enemy and shoot right back with arrows from God’s word? Jesus didn’t simply come up with some nifty self-help quotes when tempted by Satan.  He didn’t try harder, buckle down, and push forward.  He used scripture. 

“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Psalm 139:14

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10

So what should we believe?  We should believe that God loves us UNCONDITIONALLY.  I know we can rattle off the phrase that He gave His only son for us… but let us not take that lightly.   I don’t know anyone on this earth that I would sacrifice my children for.   

Because of our Father’s sacrifice, I am now a CHOSEN and ADOPTED CHILD of the Living God.  I have a purpose and a reason for being.  Not because of what I have done, but because of who God is and what HE did for me.   I have worth and value in my Father’s eyes and I must never forget that.

Good words here. It is so important for everyone of us to remember that we are important and valued in God’s sight. It is also important for us to not listen to the lies of the enemy.  Thanks Ryan for your “heart words.” Do you have something you would like to share with others on this site? I would be glad to include it during my time of recovering. 

BTW: they say Day #3 and #4 are the worst. I’ll let you know. 🙂

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October 10

Thursday, October 10th, 2024

Have you ever been sitting in a chair or laying in bed and then your mind starts to wander? Not just random like a pinball, but it seems to focus in on events or circumstances of your past.  Just this morning as I was praying and trying to prepare my mind and heart for my time alone with God, off it (my mind) went to the past. It focused in on failures of my past when I behaved and spoke in a way that brought disrespect to the name of Christ.  I almost started replaying scenarios when suddenly God’s Spirit intervened and said, “No! Not now! That’s forgiven.”

Then I read about Abraham, God’s chosen man to be the father of the Jewish people. In Romans 4 Paul uses Abraham as an example of faith. In protest we might say, “Yeah. Some example of faith he was. He failed to believe God’s promise and wait, and now we have the Arab people as a result of his tryst with Hagar, Sarah’s handmaid.” Abraham even laughed in unbelief when told he would have a child in his old age (Gen. 17:17). What gives?

To borrow a phrase: “This is not a ‘spin job’ on Abraham’s life.”  It’s not a whitewash as if Abraham never sinned, never failed, or never doubted. What it is strikes us: we get to see God’s final gracious perspective of Abraham’s life. Beyond the failure. Beyond the tragic impatience. Beyond the tragic “I’m going to take this whole matter into my own hands.” Beyond the tragic “God is taking too long.”

Then it hit me. If God could take this huge act of impatience, disobedience, i.e. sin in Abraham’s life, forgive him and bring about His purpose, surely God could do that for me. That is not excusing sin-misspeaking, wrong actions, hurt feelings, totally degrading His Name, etc.- but it does show the real magnitude of His grace. The enemy’s plan is for me to wallow in shame and humiliation. God’s plan is for me to know and experience His love and grace.

I learned a good lesson today: when Satan knocks on the door, send the Holy Spirit to answer it.

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September 16

Monday, September 16th, 2024

It never ceases to amaze me when people who say they follow Christ allow petty differences to separate them. Yes, the words or actions hurt. I am not denying that but seriously? Lifelong friends becoming the rest-of-life enemies? I read the following story awhile back and used it yesterday during a communion thought:

Esther (Eppie) and Pauline Friedman were identical twins born on July 4, 1918. At age 21 they were married to their husbands in a double wedding. In 1955 Eppie took over an advice column in the Chicago Sun-Times called “Ask Ann Landers.” Only a few months later Pauline took up a similar column, “Dear Abby,” under the name Abigail Van Buren. Trouble began when Pauline offered their hometown paper, the Sioux City Journal, a lower rate for her “Dear Abby” column if the paper promised not to print her sister’s “Ask Ann Landers.” Eppie was furious. They both became very successful advice columnists, but their relationship was never the same. They counseled people on relationships, for crying out loud! Even after they both died, their children continued the feud. (copied from Feels Like Home by Lee Eclov-p.61-62)

I shake my head at that story, finding it almost unbelievable (but it’s true). Here are two advice columnists giving advice, but they can’t or won’t take their own. Hmmm. Sounds like many Christ-followers who carry grudges long past their prime. In fact, why carry a grudge at all? I tell people that “when you carry a grudge you are a slave to that other person. They own you.” They own your thoughts. They own your actions. Sometimes they even own your sleep. I will say it bluntly: it ain’t worth it. 

Stop allowing past difficulties to waylay your future. Stop allowing past differences to stymie your steps. Give it up and let the offense go. Or at least, forgive from your heart. If they refuse to reciprocate, the ball is in their court and you walk free.

 

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September 11

Wednesday, September 11th, 2024

“NEVER FORGET!”

It’s hard to. Those words will be spoken and heard a lot today. Anyone who was alive and old enough to understand knows the significance of today. If you are like me you know where you were and what you were doing when you first heard of the well-planned, but cowardly, devastating attack on American soil. Life has never been the same and seeing the images again reminds me of watching the Twin Towers burn and then collapse. I’m also thinking of the all-too-brief days following when politicians put aside their petty gripes against each other and sang “God Bless America” on the steps of the Capitol. I’m also thinking of the few brief days/weeks when hearts became sensitive to God’s role in the founding and ongoing history of our country. I’m also thinking of when it wasn’t so much “God Bless America” but “America Bless God.” Many churches saw spikes in their attendance as people sought solace in the face of such tragedy. Sadly, it died quickly. 

September 11, 2023 a double rainbow appeared in the NYC sky where the Twin Towers used to rise. The rainbow is a symbol of God’s presence and promise that He would never again destroy the earth by a flood. It is a promise from a faithful and true God.

Jesus has given us a reminder to remember Him by. Just as there will be gatherings today to honor the 3000+ souls who lost their lives 23 years ago (and since), so this memorial reminds us of the loss of life, but also the gaining of something greater. It reminds us of the ultimate sacrifice-one Man dying for the sin of the world. The perfect, sinless, Son of God, our Savior, taking the place of sinful, rebellious, unholy people to make the ultimate sacrifice to die in our place.

NEVER FORGET. 9/11.  The cross of Calvary and the price paid for people (you and me) who didn’t deserve it.

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August 29

Thursday, August 29th, 2024

One word says it all. One word can turn a person’s world upside down. That word? BETRAYAL.

I’m not sure there is a much more crueler word than that one. It congers up feelings of hatred, of anger, of spoken and unspoken words. It makes our blood boil. It makes us shiver.

That word came to my mind this morning as I read a passage of Scripture. Contrary to what you may be expecting, it was not about Judas’ betrayal of Jesus. In all honesty, I’m guessing most of us probably think of that when the word betrayal is mentioned.

Actually this passage is from Psalm 55. David wrote it. There were multiple times David was betrayed so I am unsure who this is speaking of, but it is still a sharp jab to David’s side. Here is the Scripture: “It is not an enemy who taunts me-I could bear that. It is not my foes who so arrogantly insult me-I could have hidden from them. Instead, it is you-my equal, my companion and close friend. What good fellowship we once enjoyed as we walked together to the house of God.” (Verses 12-14 NLT)

What do you think? You surely sense his pain. I do. Perhaps the ultimate betrayal is from a friend. We’re not talking about the man without a country who betrays his country. We are talking about a friend who betrays a friend. David describes him as “my equal, my companion and close friend.” OUCH!

How did David survive the betrayal? Not by lashing out. Not by revenge. Not my getting even. Here is his secret:“But I will call on God, and the Lord will rescue me. Morning, noon, and night I cry out in my distress, and the Lord hears my voice.” (55:16-17 NLT)

The next time you are betrayed (which I hope never happens) it’s not enough to say, “I should have chosen a better friend.” You could not have known. Rather, take your distress, your broken heart to God. You can’t change the actions or words of your former friend, but you can take charge of your reaction. Here’s some further advice from David: “I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me?” (Psalm 56:11 NLT)

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August 14

Wednesday, August 14th, 2024

The gift of forgiveness is one of, if not the greatest gift we can give someone…AND OURSELVES.

Many years ago I was meeting with a group of elders in a public restaurant. Another man had asked if he could join us and one of the men said Yes. After a chatty and lighthearted lunch, this man man launched into a vindictive and accusatory castigation of me and my ministry. He asked accusatory questions (not moral ones) about my time and what I did with it. (I did not answer him since it was none of his business). More questions. And then his coup de grace was telling me I should resign and move back to Ohio. Then, as was his modus operandi after a making a scene, he got up and left. I was not the only one who sat in stunned silence. I broke the ice and simple asked one question, a question that would seal what I would decide to do. I asked them if they agreed with him and did they want me to resign. “If you do,” I said, “You have my resignation today. I will not work with men who do not support me. I will not put up with such groundless accusations.” To a man they said, “No.” They all felt he was way off base and the man who approved him coming apologized never expecting that. They proved it the next meeting when he showed up (thanks to the yes from the same man who thought he was going to apologize). Instead, he came loaded for bear and made the same proposition: “Move back to Ohio where you belong.” They said after he left (again the same way), “Absolutely not.”

Several factors came into play. First, he was ticked off that his proposed building project that would have cost in the $5-600k range was rejected by the leadership. (Good thing too since factors soon took place that changed the trajectory of our direction).

Second, and more importantly, what was I going to do? You may find this hard to believe but I chose the path of forgiveness. I have seen enough lives ruined by refusing to forgive than I care to talk about. Marriages have crumbled; friendships have fallen apart never to be repaired; churches split; physical infirmities as a result of holding a grudge; all as a result of refusing to forgive.

I chose to forgive. I greeted him with outstretched hand and a smile. I asked him to help out with things (but was turned down). Why? Not because I’m a super saint. Far from it. My natural instinct was to defend myself. Instead, I tried to practice Colossians 3:12-13- “Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.”  Was I perfect in it? Nope. There were times I struggled with my anger and emotions. There were times I wanted to tell others and have them defend me, i.e. boost my ego. I also knew this: the failure to forgive makes us that person’s slave. They own us. We hurt no one but ourselves when we refuse to forgive.

I have no idea how he feels, even to this day. But I know how I feel. Not vindicated. Not holier-than-thou. I do feel peace. I am not suffering from poor health from holding a grudge. And I do know Jesus stands even taller in my eyes when I read that He said, “Father, forgive them, they don’t know what they are doing.” He had it much rougher than me, that’s for sure.

What about you? Are you carrying a grudge you need to dump? Are you seeking to get even? Dump it. Excuse my French: IT. AIN’T. WORTH. IT!

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July 31

Wednesday, July 31st, 2024

I have met people who feel they are too far gone to be useful to God or for God’s work.

“Oh Pastor Bill. You don’t know how bad I’ve been. You don’t know what I’ve done. I’m too far gone and God could never forgive me for what I have done.”  A similar thought is them asking me if they could be forgiven.

There’s truth and false in that statement. It is (most likely) true that I don’t know what they have done (but in the course of the conversation will probably be told). The false part of that statement is the biggest mistake of all: that he or she has done something so big and so bad that God cannot forgive.

Let me put it very clearly: NO. ONE. IS. OUT. OF. THE. REACH. OF. GOD’S. LOVE. AND. FORGIVENESS. I could repeat that statement but you get the drift. NO MATTER how far down we have gone; no matter how far out we have strayed; no matter how bad we feel we have acted; no matter how far we feel we have drifted; God’s love is greater.

The Apostle Paul put it this way: “I pray from His glorious unlimited resources He will empower you with inner strength through His Spirit. Then Christ will make His home in your hearts as you trust in Him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you  have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wise, how long, how high, and how deep His love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully.” (Eph. 3:16-19 NLT)

My emphasis whenever I read that passage is on that phrase “how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is.” The reality is I cannot know. You cannot know. What I DO know is that His love was wide enough, long enough, high enough and deep enough until it included me.

May you know and be aware of the magnificence and reach of God’s love today.

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