Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Colossians 3:13 - "Forgiveness"

The Lord directed me back to Colossians 3 this morning.  I was thinking He must want me to finish up the chapter from where I was reading yesterday but I was wrong.  He told me to go back over the first 17 verses. 

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died,and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature:sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11 Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. 12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.  15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.


Then it was like He knocked me up the side of the head and said, "Re-read verse 13.  It is for you."  Ooooppppssss....sorry Lord!  How can I have the Lord's peace if I am harboring thoughts against someone that I haven't forgiven?  I can't.  How can I forgive someone who hasn't asked for forgiveness?  I have to allow the Lord to take care of the situation.  This revelation took me to Matthew West's song, "Forgiveness."  One of the lines in that song goes, "Show me how to reach the unreachable..."  That's how I feel about the person I haven't forgiven.  I feel like I can't get through to them but this morning the Lord reminded me that it's not my job to do that.  I have to turn the situation over to Him and allow Him to work on them.  Woo hoo!  Thank You Jesus!  'I want to finally set it free; So show me how to see what Your mercy sees; Help me now to give what You gave to me; Forgiveness, Forgiveness..."  

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for this reminder this morning on what I need to do in this situation.  I pray for Your forgiveness for me as I've been harboring ill feelings about this one.  I pray for Your Words to be on my lips the next time I have opportunity to speak to them.  Thank You Lord for loving me enough to bring this to my mind.  Lord, I want to have a clean heart.  I don't want anything to be between You and I.   Father, I pray for the work You will do in this person's heart.  I pray they will not be unreachable any longer.  Lord, bless them in a mighty way.  Father, thank You for the peace that You have given me to start my day.  Thank You for being My Forgiver!  Amen.





Matthew West - Forgiveness Lyrics

Artist: Matthew West
Album: Into the Light
It’s the hardest thing to give away
And the last thing on your mind today
It always goes to those who don’t deserve

It’s the opposite of how you feel
When the pain they caused is just too real
It takes everything you have just to say the word…

Forgiveness
Forgiveness

It flies in the face of all your pride
It moves away the mad inside
It’s always anger’s own worst enemy
Even when the jury and the judge
Say you gotta right to hold a grudge
It’s the whisper in your ear saying ‘Set It Free’

Forgiveness, Forgiveness
Forgiveness, Forgiveness

Show me how to love the unlovable
Show me how to reach the unreachable
Help me now to do the impossible

Forgiveness, Forgiveness

Help me now to do the impossible
Forgiveness

It’ll clear the bitterness away
It can even set a prisoner free
There is no end to what it’s power can do
So, let it go and be amazed
By what you see through eyes of grace
The prisoner that it really frees is you

Forgiveness, Forgiveness
Forgiveness, Forgiveness

Show me how to love the unlovable
Show me how to reach the unreachable
Help me now to do the impossible
Forgiveness

I want to finally set it free
So show me how to see what Your mercy sees
Help me now to give what You gave to me
Forgiveness, Forgiveness



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