Forgiving the Unforgivable

(Corrie ten Boom tells her story of forgiveness when approached by one of her concentration camp guards.)

"It was in a church in Munich where I was speaking in 1947 that I saw him--a balding heavyset man in a gray overcoat, a brown felt hat clutched between his hands. One moment I saw the overcoat and the brown hat, the next, a blue uniform and a visored cap with its skull and crossbones.

Memories of the concentration camp came back with a rush: the huge room with its harsh overhead lights, the pathetic pile of dresses and shoes in the center of the floor, the shame of walking naked past this man. I could see my sister's frail form ahead of me, ribs sharp beneath the parchment of skin.

Betsie and I had been arrested for concealing Jews in our home during the Nazi occupation of Holland. This man had been a guard at Ravensbruck concentration camp where we were sent.

Now he was in front of me, hand thrust out: "A fine message, fraulein! How good it is to know that, as you say, all our sins are at the bottom of the sea!"

It was the first time since my release that I had been face to face with one of my captors and my blood seemed to freeze.

"You mentioned Ravensbruck in your talk," he was saying. "I was a guard there. But since that time," he went on, "I have become a Christian. I know that God has forgiven me for the cruel things I did there, but I would like to hear it from your lips as well. Fraulein--" again the hand came out--"will you forgive me?"

And I stood there--and could not. Betsie had died in that place--could he erase her slow terrible death simply for the asking?

It could not have been many seconds that he stood there, hand held out, but to me it seemed hours as I wrestled with the most difficult thing I had ever had to do.

For I had to do it--I knew that. The message that God forgives has a prior condition: that we forgive those who have injured us. "If you do not forgive men their trespasses," Jesus says, "neither will your Father in Heaven forgive your trespasses."

Still I stood there with the coldness clutching my heart. But forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart. "Jesus, help me!" I prayed silently. "I can lift my hand. I can do that much. You supply the feeling."

And so woodenly, mechanically, I thrust my hand into the one stretched out to me. And as I did, an incredible thing took place. The current started in my shoulder, raced down my arm, sprang into our joined hands. And then this healing warmth seemed to flood my whole being, bringing tears to my eyes.

"I forgive you, brother!" I cried. "With all my heart!"

For a long moment we grasped each other's hands, the former guard and former prisoner. I had never known God's love so intensely as I did then.

With Corrie's willingness came God's power to forgive her former captor.

When you and I are willing to see our need for God's forgiveness, He is willing and able to forgive our sins. The Bible says that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" and that "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 3:23; 6:23). But it goes on to explain that "God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)."

We could all learn from this.

What fruits are you producing?

Sitting on the porch the other night, I talked with my dad about many things, as we sometimes do. We were talking about how you can never know a man's heart, only G-d can. Then, I brought up that we could know a man by the fruits he produced, as the Bible says.

To this my dad replied with something that dumbfounded me... "What fruits have you produced?"

I didn't know what to say... I was racking my brain for something... anything... I eventually named off a few things I could think of and we continued our conversation. However, this stuck with me. I think it is a question that we should daily be asking ourselves. "What fruit am I producing?" and maybe even with every action, "what fruit will this produce?"

The Bible says "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." (Matthew5:14-16) and 2 Corinthians 5:20 calls us "Christ's representatives." If we are looked at as representatives of Christ, we need to be aware of what fruit we are producing and showing to the world.

I found myself at a lack of words with this question and realized, a plant producing no fruit is just as bad as one producing bad fruit, both are worthless and will be pulled up. I could eventually think of some fruit I had produced, but I realized this is not something I have ever had to think of before.

Remember to ask yourself "What fruit am I producing?"

John 15:2
"He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes"

Matthew 7:15-20
"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them."

Are you being persecuted?

John 15:18-25
18 "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20 Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 21 They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin. 23 He who hates me hates my Father as well. 24 If I had not done among them what no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have seen these miracles, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. 25 But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: 'They hated me without reason.'

Christ says if we belong to the world it will love us, but if we belong to Him, it will hate us. Are you hated by the world? Do you live a life that shines G-d's light so brightly, that the world is blinded by it? Or are you living a dully lit life, so that the world can't see how you follow G-d and therefore does not persecute you.

Paul says in 2 Tim 3:12
"In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted"

An old-time evangelist once said, if I preach in a town and dont get chased out, I wonder whether I preached the right gospel or not. If we are preaching, and not facing persecution and hatred, it may be wise to seek G-d on whether we are preaching His true Word or not.

Matt 5:11-12
11 "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

And remember brothers and sisters, when you are persecuted, "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse" - Rom 12:14

It's not how much you make. It's how much of it you give away.

There is a lot of talk of how much money Christian's make and even some presumptions on whether a person is a so-called "true Christian" by how many zeros are on his paycheck. But I submit that it not how much one makes but how much of it one gives away that shows where their heart is. Money is not the root of all evil, but it can be held and used very selfishly.

Psalm 24:1 says, “The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him.” G-d says in Job 41:11 , “Everything under heaven belongs to me.” Haggai 2:8 says, “'The silver is mine and the gold is mine,' declares the LORD Almighty.” Psalm 50:10-12, “All the animals of the forest are mine, and I own the cattle on a thousand hills. Every bird of the mountains and all the animals of the field belong to me. If I were hungry, I would not mention it to you, for all the world is mine and everything in it.”

It's pretty clear G-d is saying, He owns everything. It is all His. It's not a new thing for people to forget this, in the first chapter of Isaiah G-d says, “The ox and the donkey know their owner, but my people do not know who owns them.” Obviously as Christians we believe that G-d created us, and if that's not proof enough of His ownership then, think of Jesus and the price He paid for us, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says “You are not your own. You were bought at a price”

So G-d owns everything, including us, but we're only expected to give a tenth and then we're good right? Wrong. G-d owes us nothing. As a matter of fact we owe G-d a debt we can never repay. The Bible says we are to pay a tithe (10% of our income) This is to be a representation of our submission that all we have is G-d's. When we make money, it is a blessing, a gift from G-d. He blessed us with the job and the ability to do it, then He blessed our employer with the money to pay us. We are to be stewards of G-d's money that He bestows upon us and be in constant prayer over what He wants us to do with it.

G-d could bless a person with a million dollars and that person could give it all away, wisely praying about where to give it. He could then give another person twenty dollars and that person could go buy beer, cigarettes and gamble the rest away, without a thought or prayer of what G-d wants. Who do you think is in the right? The Christian who brought home a million or the one who brought home twenty dollars? 1 Corinthians 10:31 says “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” I believe this means, we should always be prayful about what we do with all our resources, dying to ourselves and our desires. For everything we do, we should do for G-d by His good and perfect will.

I leave you with a passage in Mark, where the opposite side of the story is seen, but the same lesson is taught. It's not how much you make. It's how much of it you give away.

Mark 12:41 And He sat down opposite the treasury, and began observing how the people were putting money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large sums. 42 A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a cent. 43 Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury; 44 for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on.”

Struggle

I've been struggling a lot lately. There's a lot I don't understand.
I refuse to give up. My words will keep going to G-d. I will keep talking.
I will keep struggling to do better and grow closer. The more I want it, the more I have to fight for it.

I trust G-d. While I wander in circles in the desert I seek the burning bush, the pillar of smoke, or the pillar of fire, for I know He is calling me and wants to guide me...

Sometimes I close my eyes and cry out "G-d, where are You? I can't see you."
then I will cover my ears and hum as I think "G-d why aren't You talking to me"

I can cover my eyes and ears, but when G-d speaks the ground trembles...
I feel and earthquake coming.

Regretting and Learning

When in Kansas City, I went with some friends to help feed and hang out with homeless people.



Sydney kept asking people to play tag, and eventually a bunch of us were literally running wild in the streets. A few of the homeless guys played and a whole lot of them cheered on and laughed joyously.




There was, however, one older man standing a ways behind me, who was not enjoying himself. I kept hearing him cussing and being pretty upset at us for some reason, and he eventually came up to me, to make sure I heard him. He was really upset that we were having fun and playing games. He kept bringing up all the sadness and how everyone playing was ignoring how horrible everything was and he said his wife was in the hospital dying...

I kind of tried to ignore him, because I'm pretty shy and unconfrontational and just didnt know what to say in general. One of the other homeless guys kept telling him things like "everyone else is enjoying themselves" and "no one else seems to mind man". I almost found myself upset at this guy who was taking such a beautiful joyous thing and being so against it. He eventually went away.

I left and didn't really think of him too much more... until I was on my way home, and the memory of him being right there by me, being so upset came rushing back and in my head, I turned and hugged him, and told him there was hope and that G-d cared for these things and loved Him and I prayed with Him. I broke down with the thoughts of what could have been... I feel like I failed to show G-d's love to this man who was so hurt... I'll never be able to forget this. I can't think about his face or words without crying.

And I hope this encourages you to show G-d's love. Always. When you uncomfortable, when your scared, when you just don't know what to do. We are called to be His hands and feet... and I kept my hands to myself that day...

Laying Down Your Life.

Jesus said "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:12-13)

Most people see this as a command to be willing to die for others.
is it? sure. But I think its so much more.

We all know, that we are to be living sacrifices to G-d (see Romans 12) But we are also to be completely self sacrificial in every relationship we have. Laying down our lives.... our needs, our cares, our wants... to be there for others. In every relationship, the obvious ones, marriage and parenthood, and the less obvious ones, our friends, distant relatives and the strangers we encounter everyday.

We seemed to be so focused on getting others to serve us, we never think to serve others.
We are to be like Jesus. He commands us to love as He loved.

I urge you to start thinking about others more than yourself.
We live in a very selfish world... break the cycle and love. Start thinking about what you can do for others, and stop thinking about what you "need" to do for yourself. If you follow G-d, He will take care of you... do you no longer have to care about yourself. Be like Christ... Get rid of your selfish desires, start living G-d's will. Sacrificing, first and foremost to Him and second to His people.

Phillippians 2:1-11

¹If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, ²then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. ³Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. ⁴Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

⁵Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
⁶Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
⁷but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
⁸And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
⁹Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
¹⁰that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
¹¹and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.