It has been a lifetime ago but I will never forget that Mia stole my grapes. It happened this way. When I was six and my brother was four, our mother gave us some grapes. He ate his, but I saved my till later. While I was busy with something else Mia, the little girl next door, slipped into our house and stole and ate my grapes. It crushed me. As a child I was upset.
You know what? I’m over it. You are thinking that since it was a lifetime ago I ought to be over it and you are right. One would think that all such old sins and grievances are over, but they are not. The world is filled with people who nurse old wounds. The church is filled with Christians who nurse old wounds.
How long should it take to get over old offenses? How long does it take for forgive? A day? A week? A year? A lifetime?
Jesus answered the question for us when he said, “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” (Mark 11:25).
When do we forgive? Jesus said to forgive when you pray. Most people think to ask for forgiveness when they pray, but Jesus said to give forgiveness when you pay. Your willingness to forgive when you pray impacts the forgiveness you will receive when you pray. Jesus said, “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:14-15)
When wronged you must not let it define you. To burden yourself with old hurts is to let old hurts define it. It is a handicap in your life. It is a limp when you walk.
When we forgive others we give others the chance to begin again and again and again. When we forgive others we give ourselves the chance to begin again and again and again and to do so without the limp. If we do not want to limp through life, we will forgive.
So, Mia stole my grapes. I’m over it. Who stole your grapes and are you over it? For your sake I hope so.
Lonnie Davis
God, Snow, and Airplanes
I got on the plane. Terrible seat! Sandwich seat! No legroom! The lady next to me was already opening her smelly food. “Sorry about the food,” she said. “It’s okay,” I responded. In a few minutes a man came up and said, “You are sitting in my seat.” I checked my ticket. No, I was sitting in the right seat. I looked at his ticket. Sure enough, it was his seat too. I gave him the seat and told him I would find a different one. The flight attendant sprang into action. He walked me to the back of the plane. I saw an empty seat on the exit row (I call them “economy first class”) “I can just sit here,” I told him. He would not let me. He took me off the plane, telling me I would have to wait to see what was available. I went all the way to the gate and watched them assign seats to others. Outside was the snow was falling hard (eventually 12 inches). I was afraid I might be trapped at the airport. Finally they gave me a ticket. I walked to my new seat. It was the exit row and the aisle seat. Wonderful! We pushed away from the gate at 1:30 and took off at 3:45 (deicing).
Sometimes life does not go as you planned. When you have little hiccups along the way it is easy to be frustrated and angry. It is better to decide that God’s hand is in the details. When Israel left Egypt and headed to the Promised Land, the Bible tells us:
“When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, ‘If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.’ So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea.” – Exodus 13: 17 – 18,
There was a quicker route, but God knew they needed to take the long way. He gave them what was best and not what they might have wanted. God still works that way, even when the snow is falling and you are getting on a plane.
As we were sitting on the tarmac, the captain walked back and talked to our row and apologized for the long delay. I spoke up and said, “We’re okay. We are sitting here reading books and relaxing. We do not have to fret with small children. We’ll be okay.” He smiled and went to talk with others. As long as we keep God in our plans, God will work things out for the good. (Romans 8:28).
Lonnie Davis
It is Sunday, January 31, 2010 and I am at home all morning. Yesterday we got snowed in and for the second time this winter we had to cancel the Sunday services. As I was reading this morning I came across an interesting story.
On January 29, 2010, ABC news ran a news story under the theme of "Still No Church." The point of the article is that after one year President Obama still has found no church to attend. They point out that he attended church only three times in the past year.
What is said of Obama could be said about millions of American. Millions of Americans seldom or never attend the meeting of the church. Since it is not unusual this story is not about our president skipping worship worship, but about what those close to him said about it.
ABC news reported, "Sources familiar with the president’s personal life say Obama remains a faithful Christian while in the White House."
There is is! People just do not get it. Christ died for the church. The Holy Spirit commanded us to gather for worship with the church.
You can ignore the church, but you cannot be a faithful Christian while doing so.
Look it up – Hebrews 10:25.
A snow storm or a sickness may make you "providentially hindered," but choosing not to worship is being unfaithful to the commands of the Holy Spirit.
Lonnie Davis