“The willingness to forgive is a sign of spiritual and emotional maturity. It is one of the great virtues to which we all should aspire. Imagine a world filled with individuals willing both to apologize and to accept an apology. Is there any problem that could not be solved among people who possessed the humility and largeness of spirit and soul to do either -- or both -- when needed?”
GENESIS 49-50
15When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?” 16So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Your father left these instructions before he died: 17‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.’ Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.” When their message came to him, Joseph wept.
18His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. “We are your slaves,” they said.
19But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 20You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. 21So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.(50:15-21)
MATTHEW 15:1-20
15Peter said, “Explain the parable to us.”
16“Are you still so dull?” Jesus asked them. 17“Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? 18But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. 19For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. 20These are what defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile them.”
JOURNAL
Through everything that happened to Joseph and his brothers they still doubted his love for them and God's sovereignty. Joseph is again overcome with emotion at the sign of their doubt. However he does not scorn them for it but rather shows patience, compassion and love.
Jesus breaks from tradition and the cultural norms and it upsets the Pharisees because they did not wash their hands before they ate. He reaffirms that following traditions are not what matter but what comes out of your heart and how you treat others.
Again and again scripture affirms that sin happens when we begin to stray from obedience to God. We stray because we don’t trust God, because at the heart of it all we don’t fully accept his love for us and that his way is the best way. I know for me it stems from putting too much value and power in other humans rather than God and my relationship with him. I truly don't trust that trusting God in all my actions and seeking and following him is what's best.
It's subtle but that subtle disobedience has great power. For it robs me of giving my very best and making the most of each and every moment. Then just like Joseph's brothers...I begin to doubt. Yet coming back to scripture each day reminds me again of God's love, his power and his desire that I live from that power. Doing so has the power to sustain me and propel me above the circumstances of each day.
Through everything that happened to Joseph and his brothers they still doubted his love for them and God's sovereignty. Joseph is again overcome with emotion at the sign of their doubt. However he does not scorn them for it but rather shows patience, compassion and love.
Jesus breaks from tradition and the cultural norms and it upsets the Pharisees because they did not wash their hands before they ate. He reaffirms that following traditions are not what matter but what comes out of your heart and how you treat others.
Jesus breaks from tradition and the cultural norms and it upsets the Pharisees because they did not wash their hands before they ate. He reaffirms that following traditions are not what matter but what comes out of your heart and how you treat others.
Again and again scripture affirms that sin happens when we begin to stray from obedience to God. We stray because we don’t trust God, because at the heart of it all we don’t fully accept his love for us and that his way is the best way. I know for me it stems from putting too much value and power in other humans rather than God and my relationship with him. I truly don't trust that trusting God in all my actions and seeking and following him is what's best.
It's subtle but that subtle disobedience has great power. For it robs me of giving my very best and making the most of each and every moment. Then just like Joseph's brothers...I begin to doubt. Yet coming back to scripture each day reminds me again of God's love, his power and his desire that I live from that power. Doing so has the power to sustain me and propel me above the circumstances of each day.
It's subtle but that subtle disobedience has great power. For it robs me of giving my very best and making the most of each and every moment. Then just like Joseph's brothers...I begin to doubt. Yet coming back to scripture each day reminds me again of God's love, his power and his desire that I live from that power. Doing so has the power to sustain me and propel me above the circumstances of each day.
No comments:
Post a Comment