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Tuesday, November 6, 2007

update

You guys are so sweet with all of your comments. I am still feeling sick I have a nasty headache and I feel like my body was run over by an 18 wheeler but I have this little cutie to keep up with. I did lose weight which is the only benefit to being sick. :)


This is a something that is out of James MacDonald's weekly walk in the word but he shared this in "Gripped By the Greatness of God" and it is so good!

A New Look at Forgiveness
I have a confession to make. For most of my ministry, I’ve taught a specific passage of Scripture out of context. In fact, I see now that I missed the big picture. Read Isaiah 55:8-9:
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."
I’ve always believed this passage taught that God is not like us; God is bigger than us. Even though that’s true, that’s not the primary point. The context begs us to ask, “In what way are God’s thoughts bigger than our thoughts?” Answer: when He forgives.
God’s like, “Let’s compare. When people sin against you, your way of handling it is completely different than how I handle it when people sin against Me.”
Correct me if I’m wrong, but here’s how we measure forgiveness:
Flip a couple more pages in the Bible and people are still choosing.
We think who. Who should we forgive? “She did this and I don’t know if I can forgive her.” We question if the person is worthy of our forgiveness.
We think how much. We measure the things on our list. We say, “I can forgive that-no problem” to some and “I could never forgive that” to others.
We think how often. How’s that saying go? “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.” We’re like, “Nobody’s going to do that to me again!
Everything we think about forgiveness is measured with our little yardsticks. I wonder if God shakes His head and says, “Your thoughts are so little. Look at me and get the bigger picture.
We can’t conceive of God’s boundaries on forgiveness. They’re so much bigger than we can get into our heads. Since all of our sin is ultimately against God, imagine all the times He has chosen to forgive. Isaiah is right-as high as the heavens are above the earth... and then double it... and again, ad infinitum.
This is all great in theory, but now I’m going to meddle. Are you thinking, “God could never forgive my thing? If I ever really brought my sin before the Lord, He would turn His back. I’m just going to have to carry this one myself because He’s just not merciful enough to forgive me.” My friend, you are so wrong! God’s forgiveness is not like our forgiveness. It’s higher and greater and available upon request. God can completely pardon but you must make the choice to ask for and receive His forgiveness.

4 comments:

connorcolesmom said...

Jenny,
I am so glad you are feeling better!
I love this post - I have to remember to forgive and treat others the way God would treat them - that is hard sometimes :)
Still praying for a FULL recovery and energy to keep up with that darling baby girl!
Love ya,
Kim

Speaking Thru Me Ministries said...

so glad you are feeleing better. losing weight has to be the only positive to a momma getting sick!!

love, Leigh

Charity said...

Glad to hear you are better!

Great post! As a parent, I can't think of anything Landon could do that I would not forgive. I mean, he is my child and I love him unconditionally! God is our Father and He loves us unconditionally as well. Of course, I AM human, I might have a hard time getting past what he might have done, I could still forgive him. But I feel like the Lord just forgives and moves on...never looking back at the sin. Am I making sense? I know, as a parent, how much I love Landon to pieces. And the Lord, as a parent, loves us even more. We need to have a love for others just like the Lord does and be able to forgive them as He does.

Rachel said...

Hi Jenny! Just found your blog and so glad to see you loving Jesus and studying His Word. I too just recently studied forgiveness through a Bible study and blogged on it - on the same page as you on the subject, siesta! Keep on loving Him!