Alive Word: Time to forgive
Ministers Wilbert and Jacqueline Richardson - Wednesday, September 14th, 2011 at 8:01 AM
Ministers Wilbert and Jacqueline Richardson
“For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” - Matthew 6:14, 15
The Lord led me this morning to the book of Hosea.
As I read it, I was quickened in my spirit as to how relevant it is to the issue of unconditional love and forgiveness.
Many times believers commit spiritual adultery. We think, do, and say things contrary to the Word of God.
We put things and people in front of God. We sometimes grow lukewarm or even cold instead of being hot and on fire for the Lord. “Because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth” (Rev 4:16).
We commit spiritual adultery when we have idols in our lives. Our idols could range from a spouse to a job, a child, a car, a habit, a hobby. Anything that takes first place in our lives over God is an idol. “Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works” (Revelations 2:4, 5).
Hosea’s wife was a harlot. She openly committed adultery. In today’s world, even in the Church of the living God, some people see infidelity as an opportunity because they know it gives biblical grounds for divorce. But if we take Hosea as an example, we see that adultery can be biblical grounds for forgiveness. The husband today who, knowing that his wife was committing adultery openly, would take her back (not to mention pay a huge sum of money for her) and forgive her, is very rare.
Many today at the first sign of marital problems, and it does not even have to be infidelity, they file for divorce. Looking at the spiritual connotations of the book of Hosea, we must realize that we all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. If God were to condemn us to doom when we committed spiritual adultery, not one of us would make it into heaven.
God is such a loving and forgiving God that—although we mess up at times, although we fail and fall short—when we confess our sins to Him, He’s still willing to forgive us and to make us clean again. Furthermore, he says that as far as the east is from the west, so far He removes our transgressions. He says he’s married to the backslider. God’s love for us is unconditional. Our love for each other should also be unconditional.
Yes, people wrong us, do us evil, rub us the wrong way and put their hands and tongues against us. It’ll be that way until Jesus comes. We are the ones who decide whether or not we are going to forgive and forget. Forgiveness must come from the heart. If it doesn’t come from the heart, it’s superficial and won’t result in actually forgiving and forgetting the wrong done. God forgives and forgets our sins, and He wants us to do the same for others.
If you’ve been hurt, if someone has wronged you, forgive. If you’re having problems forgiving someone, ask God to help you to release the person and the situation to Him. Yes, you may feel that you have a right to feel how you feel, but God also has a right to feel hurt when we go against His Word. Nevertheless, He forgives us and doesn’t hold it against us. God wants us to forgive others and not hold it against them. A refusal to forgive eats away at your spirit and your body.
It often causes your body to go out of balance, and you can get physically sick because bitterness, resentment, and anger eat constantly at you, and you have no peace. I’ve heard people say at times that when they see people who have hurt them, it makes them boil on the inside. That unforgiving person can end up with ulcers, heartburn and many other physical symptoms. God wants us to have His divine peace in our lives at all times. “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear” (Isaiah 59:2).
No wrong done to us is worth us losing our souls in hell. Our prayers cannot be answered if we’ve not forgiven others. We have to make things right with others and make things right with God. If we cannot love our brother who we now see, how can we say we love God who we’ve not seen? If we cannot forgive our spouse or a family member for doing us wrong, how can God forgive us? Even in the midst of the hurt and the pain we must allow the Lord to heal us. We pray daily for many people, even those who we know are coming against us and speaking against us. We have released them to God, for we intend to live holy and righteous lives no matter who or what. Holiness and bitterness do not agree. Righteousness and unforgiveness do not agree. God is calling all of us to be in right standing with him and walk in love and forgiveness.
Jesus Christ is coming back for a spotless bride: a church without spot and wrinkle. His return could be any day now. We cannot afford to be careless with our souls. We no longer have time to play church. We have to get in line with the Word of God and stay in line. Today if you know that the sin of not forgiving others has been plaguing you, repent before the Lord and ask him to forgive you. If you know you need to ask your spouse or your family, a friend or a coworker to forgive you, humble yourself and do just that. Your soul is precious to God.
God loves us so much, and He doesn’t wish that any of us should perish. When God spoke to Hosea in Hosea 3, and told him to go and retrieve his wayward wife, Hosea was obedient. Today, this devotional may be the voice that God is using to speak to your heart. Listen, be obedient to the Spirit of the Lord, and take heed to the Word of the Lord.
It is our prayer today that God will speak to you and meet you at your point of need. Please read the book of Hosea and allow God to truly minister to you.
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