Walking With Jesus

Absent or Hidden?

“Then Elisha prayed, ‘O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!’ The Lord opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire.” (2 Kings 6:17 NLT)

Trust in God is stronger than a mighty army! Confidence in God gives visibility to that which is shrouded in darkness! Prayer opens ways where no way existed!

We cower in fear in the presence of the unknown, the invisible, but our God is never absent. The last words Jesus spoke were: “And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20b)

“Hidden” “Used by permission, © Ray Majoran, GlimpseOfInfinity.com”

Elisha was a man of God who could see what others couldn’t see and hear what others were unable to hear. The Lord heard everything the King of Aram said, even his thoughts, and would pass on this information to Elisha. If they planned to attack Israel at a certain place, Elisha would warn the King of Israel to keep his troops away from that place.

The King of Aram was alerted to this, so he sent his troops to end Elisha’s life. That’s what Elisha’s servant was so upset about. All he could see were the Aramean troops, but when Elisha prayed, the Lord opened his servant’s eyes, and he was able to see the army of God.

People of God, we squirm and fear for no reason. Are you not aware the devil can’t pick his nose without the Lord knowing? He can’t muster an attack on us without the full knowledge of God, so, why do we worry and fret? “So, God allowed this illness? Accident? Unemployment? Hassle with my boss? My co-worker? Spouse? Child? Parent? ___________?”

Yep, that’s exactly what I’m saying. “But why?” To which I would respond: “Lord, open their eyes and let them see!” Too often we blame God for His absence when in fact He is with us, just hidden from our sight. I love these beautiful words of Ray Majoran:

“Almighty God, You are the Lord of heaven and earth, and nothing escapes Your sight. We praise You as the One who surrounds Your people with protection, provision, and power, even when we cannot see it. Just as You opened the servant’s eyes to behold the chariots of fire around Elisha (2 Kings 6:17), remind us that Your presence is never absent, even in the fog of uncertainty. You are our refuge, our shield, and our ever-present help in times of trouble (Psalm 46:1).

Thank You for the faith that anchors us in not what is seen but in what is unseen (2 Corinthians 4:18). When fear presses in, when the horizon feels obscured, when our path seems hidden, You remain faithful. The armies of heaven stand ready, Your Spirit intercedes, and Christ reigns at Your right hand. You call us to trust that what we cannot see is no less real, and that the things hidden from our sight are firmly held in Your sovereign hands.

Teach us, Lord, to walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). Open our eyes to glimpse the wonders of Your presence, and strengthen our hearts to rest in the assurance that You are near. May we live with courage and peace, knowing that what is hidden now will one day be revealed in glory when Christ returns, and every veil is lifted. Until that day, help us to trust You in the unseen and to cling to the hope that is certain in Christ.” (See Hidden, 09-03-25 glimpseofinfinity.com)

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Wanting Jesus

“I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.” (Mark 11:24 NLT)

What is it you most want? A happy life? A job? A new job? A new house or car? Children? Grandchildren? Retirement? To be married? To NOT be married? Better health? Less responsibility? More responsibility? More structure? Less structure? The list is long, probably endless, but here’s the real question: What do you want MOST?

If we’re honest, most of us don’t even know what we want most, but in this season of my life I really long for energy. I can lie down or even just sit and feel pretty good, but to move around is a chore these days. As the cooler weather sets in I’m hopeful to be able to walk outside some, to work in the yard and, as I’ve mentioned, to assemble my new shelving units for the garage, but my heart’s longing is to be like Jesus.

And it’s not simply to be good, even to be spiritual, but to be thoughtful, kind, loving, responsive on more than a passive level. Jesus is very interactive, involved, caring, anticipatory. He not only understands our needs, He feels our weariness of soul and body; He empathizes with our weaknesses in every dimension of our lives.

Every day I’m able to write it thrills my soul. This gives me an avenue of expression to help us gain insight into what gives our lives meaning. Apart from Jesus we’re nothing. If the devil told me he’d give me perfect physical health, strength, and ability if I’d deny Jesus and walk away from Him, I wouldn’t flinch. Health is meaningless, life is meaningless without Jesus. He’s ALL I want most of the time.

But here’s the truth: we can’t have Jesus without Jesus. Sounds crazy, I know, but think about it. Timothy Keller said it well when he wrote: “We aren’t even capable of truly wanting Jesus without His help.” We can never find a relationship with Jesus except the Spirit of God draws us, but in order for that to happen we have to be open to that process, but where does it begin?

Think of someone who never gives God a thought. Their life is full – of themselves, their work, their family, their recreation, their schedule, their business and busyness. They go through any average day without giving God or Jesus a thought. And here’s the truth: they may NEVER give Him a thought unless and until we pray for them.

It occurred to me recently that God loves me as if I were His only child, the same as He loves you! With all the billions of people scurrying around planet earth, how is that possible? Because our God is omnipresent – ever-present, present everywhere simultaneously. I’ve known that intellectually for many years, but it recently occurred to me that He’s really with us!

That means when I pray now, I don’t just pray for a person, I pray for their family, their co-workers, every person in their spheres of influence and every person in their spheres of influence! You say, “that’s silly!” Maybe it is, but here’s the truth, behind the saving grace of each of us was someone praying. The more people we can bring to the throne of God the more who will be saved. How do I know that? Because they can’t know Him without the help of God’s Spirit and the Spirit will not go where He’s not invited.

We MUST invite Him to speak to our lost loved ones, their friends, families, co-workers, classmates, and on and on until the whole earth is bathed in believing prayer. Will they all respond? Maybe not, but this much I know for sure – they CAN’T without God’s help.

They may not want Jesus, so we must want Him for them.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

What Is True!

“I am the true grapevine, and My Father is the gardener, He cuts off every branch of Mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and He prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they well produce even more.” (John 15:1-2 NLT)

Knowing WHAT is true begins to unfold when we meet the One who is the embodiment of all Truth. Someone can tell us: “Live a good life as best you can, treat others with kindness and respect, pay your taxes and be a good citizen and you will have lived a good life and will go to heaven.” Is that true? Not necessarily! Why? Because any means of getting to heaven short of submitting our lives and allegiance to Jesus and finding forgiveness and newness of life in Him is a shortcut that will lead to hell, not heaven.

Will those things likely follow if we’re walking in obedience to the Lord Jesus? Yes, of course, but to put our trust in our own efforts, regardless of how good we may look to others, is inadequate and false. Self-righteousness is no righteousness at all when it comes to qualifying us to get into heaven.

Knowing Jesus is the first step in knowing what is true. All truth flows from Him because He is the root of all Truth. There is nothing true that is true except it is derived from Him. But knowing Truth in the Person of Jesus is the first step. The closer we get to Jesus and the more we aspire to be like Him, the more His truth will become evident in and through our lives.

But knowing the truth must lead to embracing what is true. What does that mean? Knowledge without application is futile and valueless. Unless and until what we know changes who we are we’re simply shells without real life or true meaning. It’s like trying to live for Christ without knowing Christ. We may be able to talk the talk, but we’ll never know how to actually walk the walk.

The natural progression of knowing and embracing the truth is the lifelong journey involved in learning to apply the truth – actually living it out in our day to day lives. It causes me to think of the famous tightrope walker, Charles Blondin. On June 30, 1859, he had a large rope stretched across Niagara Falls which, of course, drew a very large crowd.

Applauding his performance as he crossed over several times, at one point he pushed a wheelbarrow across, back and forth. Afterword he asked the crowd: “How many of you believe I can push a human being across in this wheelbarrow?” The crowd roared with affirmation until he asked: “Who would like to go first?” Then there was silence.

We’re all about applause and affirmation until it’s our turn to get into the proverbial “wheelbarrow,” then we’re hiding behind others and remaining very silent. We do that at church. The Pastor preaches a stirring message, and we clap and cheer and raise our hands, until they ask: “Who is willing to be involved in this ministry?” “Who will give a generous offering to support this vital endeavor?” “Who would like to sign up for the next Mission’s trip?”

We’re all about watching someone else do what needs to be done, as long as it doesn’t cost us anything in time or money. We like to read books about great Missionaries, Evangelists, and people who are being bold for God. It thrills our hearts and encourages us, but it leaves us empty and wanting until we put our “YES” on the table and say to the Lord: “Whatever You want, Lord, whatever it costs me…YES!”

That’s what living the Truth looks like!

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Our Identity

“But a famine came upon Egypt and Canaan. There was great misery, and our ancestors ran out of food. Jacob heard that there was still grain in Egypt, so he sent his sons – our ancestors – to buy some. The second time they went, Joseph revealed his identity to his brothers, and they were introduced to Pharaoh.” (Acts 7:11-13 NLT)

Can you imagine the shock, yet delight, when Joseph revealed who he was to his brothers? Surely, when they realized who he’d become they feared for their lives, but when they realized Joseph wasn’t angry with them, but loved them and wanted to help them, surely their hearts were warmed and strengthened.

Do we not realize there are people in our spheres of influence who see us simply as their relative, friend, co-worker, classmate, or neighbor. They don’t have a clue who our “Father” is – Owner, Sustainer, Ruler of the world and all that’s in it! Think how delighted, thrilled, and grateful when they realize they can know Him too! He’s not simply our personal Savior; He’s Lord of lords and King of kings!

Perhaps we too quickly forget who we are, what our true identity is as God’s child. Too often we get lost in the shadows of our sin, shame, and ongoing battle with temptation. Yes, of course, those things are real, and we must deal with them, but we can’t lose sight of our true identity in Christ. It’s in that context we must not only identify the things we were and those things with which we do daily battle, but who we are in this moment!

When we confess our sin and seek Christ alone by faith alone to become for us what we could never in eternity ever become for ourselves – our Savior and Lord – we gain a new identity that redefines, not only who we are, but what we can now become!

Joseph was a slave when he entered Egypt. That was not only the circumstance in which he was trapped, it was who he was in the sight of his captors – until it wasn’t! Over time and through several very disheartening events in Joseph’s life, God was forming, training, and equipping him to assume his new identity, an identity that would not only be evident to him, but to everyone in Egypt and beyond.

If you are a child of God, you have been saved and set apart for sacred duty in no less glorious fashion as He set Joseph apart. And no, you may not become second in command to an Emperor, but you are second in command to the Commander- in-Chief of the Universe! Pharoah was a wimp in comparison with our Savior and God and the mission to which He calls us is certainly no less important than that to which He called Joseph.

In much the same way as God took Joseph through a series of “trainings,” He grooms us through the circumstances of our lives. Nothing happens in our lives by accident, so we must be attentive to what the Lord desires to teach us in every circumstance – those we deem good and those that are not so good. Being a slave, then being locked up in prison for something he didn’t do wasn’t high on his list of “good” things that happened to him.

But just as surely as God used those negative circumstances in Joseph’s life, He can and will use them in our lives to groom and prepare us for allowing us to use our new identity in Him to introduce those in our spheres of influence to Him. Sometimes those negative circumstances are the very things with which others can most readily identify.

God is great and good and will use our new identity in Christ Jesus our Lord to turn those in our spheres of influence to Him.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Unanswered or Unoffered?

“Then Jesus said to the disciples, ‘Have faith in God. I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, “May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,“ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.” (Mark 11:22-24 NLT)

Are there things for which you used to pray, but no longer see the need? Yes, of course, some prayers have been answered, so, our prayers shift to thanksgiving and gratitude. But what about the ones that haven’t yet been answered, but you grew tired of asking or discouraged because the answer didn’t come? Might it be you stopped praying too soon?

Do you recall that it was 25 years between the time God promised Abraham a son and when Isaac was born? And yes, you likely remember that his wife grew tired of waiting, doubted God, and encouraged Abraham to take things into his own hands, namely her handmaiden, Hagar. What’s my point?

Even the “father of our faith,” Abraham, grew tired of waiting. It’s natural and normal for us to wonder why the Lord is taking so long to answer our prayers, but we mustn’t lose sight of the fact that silence doesn’t mean absence. Just because we can’t see results doesn’t mean they aren’t still on their way.

There are people’s salvation for whom I’ve been praying for years, and other needs for which I’ve been praying for many months. You know my heart for my neighbors, but until recently there has been little indication that any of them have paid any attention to my notes to them. In recent weeks three of my neighbors have come to worship at our church, some bringing friends or family with them.

Hope is hope because it doesn’t give up, it endures, it perseveres, it doesn’t quit! I’m convinced too often our prayers aren’t answered because we quit asking, we stop offering our petitions and requests to the Lord because our heart hardens and our faith shrinks. F. B. Meyer speaks to the this when he wrote: “The great tragedy of life is not unanswered prayer, but unoffered prayer.”

Could it be the problem in our prayers isn’t God’s hesitation to answer, but our hesitation to ask? I think of temptation and sin with which we wrestle daily. Might it be the Lord hasn’t delivered us, not because His arms are too short or His power inadequate, but because we simply fail to ask Him with believing faith.

When we have more faith in our inability to overcome sin than God’s ability to deliver us, that’s not God not answering, that’s us not asking. Literally every day the Lord answers my prayers, often in surprising or unexpected ways, but other prayers that I offer, remain unanswered. Unanswered prayer continues to be a stumbling block for many believers, largely, I’m convinced, because the enemy uses them to discourage us and disorient our faith.

When Satan can keep us focused on the prayers God hasn’t yet answered, too often he can keep us from remembering the ones He clearly HAS answered. Here’s a word from the Lord: “I’m working! Trust Me!”

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

The Prize Ahead

“No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” (Philippians 3:13-14 NLT)

Heaven grows more appealing to me with every passing day, not necessarily because of my physical issues, but because of my growing appreciation for who the Lord is enabling me to become in Him. His nearness enriches my life and His leadership keeps my focus on Him. My hope is you’re experiencing these same things in your life as you focus more and more on His investment in you.

It’s easy in the discouraging days in which we now live, to get down, to lose focus, to lose heart and forget we’re never alone, but the Lord is faithful and will always guide, guard, and equip us for every circumstance.

“Used by permission, © Ray Majoran, GlimpseOfInfinity.com” “The Prize Ahead”

Brother Ray Majoran’s prayers always encourage and uplift me. May his encouraging words bless you as he prays: “Our Risen Lord, You are the goal of our lives and the prize we long to receive. We praise You as the One who calls us higher, teaching us to let go of what holds us back and to press forward with hope. You are worth more than every achievement, every possession, and every dream this world can offer. Nothing compares to knowing You and being found in You. (Amen! 😊)

Thank You for the reminder that our past does not define our future. You free us from the weight of failures and regrets, and You set our eyes on what is still ahead. In seasons when we feel weary or stuck, remind us that You are faithful to finish the good work You began in us (Philippians 1:6). Please give us strength to take the next step, knowing that the race You have called us to run has an eternal reward (2 Timothy 4:8).

Help us, Lord, to live each day with focus and perseverance. Teach us to press on in faith when the climb feels steep and to fix our eyes on the crown of life that You have promised to those who love You (James 1:12). May our lives point others to the joy of following You, until the day we see You face to face and share in the fullness of Your glory.”

Are you sensing the joy? Is your heart beating a little faster as you think of being with the Lord in heaven? Yes, of course, there are people and things we love here on earth, but our greatest Treasure is Jesus and to be with Him for all eternity tops every other consideration. Learning to thrive in a perfect environment, surrounded with only good and people who all love each other and Jesus with their whole heart, never having to worry about anything, ever! What’s not to love about that?

It occurs to me that in each of our lives there are those who still believe thoughts of God, heaven, eternal life, and the like is all “pie in the sky,” imagination, wishful thinking. It breaks our heart to think of being in heaven without them, but we do what we can do and must leave the results to God. Yes, of course, we continue to pray faithfully, believe wholeheartedly, and work diligently to help them come to the Lord, but ultimately, it’s their decision and the Lord will guide us in the best ways to reach them.

Know this! You are on my mind as I write today and though many of us will not meet on this earth, I look forward to hugging you and with tears of joy in my eyes, thanking you for your faithfulness to the Lord, absolutely, but also for reading these words that He daily gives me. You inspire and encourage me!

Blessings, Ed 😊

Weakness

“Each time He said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.” (2 Corinthians 12:9 NLT)

Every human being has weakness in some area or avenue of their life. We can be immensely strong physically but have weak character. We can have any mixture of physical, emotional, intellectual, and many other characteristics and be strong in some, but inevitably we’ll be weak in others. Factor in the spiritual aspect and you’ve got a recipe for weakness.

Paul writes in the very next verse: “That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” On some levels it’s an oxymoron, strength is born out of weakness or apparent weakness reveals true strength. So, what’s the point?

As we look at our life in Christ, where are we strong? Weak? Think of the “fronts” of battle for a believer, what heads the line? Temptation, persecution, trials, challenges, etc. In what setting or environment are we most wanting to be strong, but tend to be most weak? It may vary from person to person, but quite possibly all of our weaknesses are born in prayer.

If the Holy Spirit is the source of our greatest strength and we access His assistance through believing prayer, yet we too often fall flat on our faces when confronted by the enemy, wherein lies the problem? If we don’t ask, we don’t receive, so, the problem may not be weakness, but lack of appropriate and timely prayer.

Leonard Ravenhill gives us insight when he writes: “If weak in prayer we are weak everywhere.” What does that mean, to be weak in prayer? Does it have to do with the amount of time we spend in prayer? Our attitude as we approach prayer? Our expectations as we pray? Our understanding or misunderstanding of the purpose of prayer?

Any or all of these things and many others may attribute to our weakness in prayer, but the key as I understand it is childlike confidence that when we ask our faithful Father to do something that’s in line with His plans and purposes, He will do it. It may not be in our timing or in a way we expected or desired, but we entrust the answer to our Father because we trust His judgment.

It doesn’t matter how loud or long we pray, it has more to do with the attitude of our heart. Are we asking or demanding; expecting our will to be carried out or His; anticipating a favorable reply or doubting; secretly wanting Him to do what we want or leaving the outcome up to Him?

Strength in prayer translates into confidence in the prayer-Answerer! So, conversely, weakness in prayer is a lack of confidence, doubt, or a wrong motive in asking in the first place. Often the greatest weakness in prayer is a lack of prayer, a dependence on our own understanding, following our “gut” rather than seeking an outcome from God.

Wanting what God wants as the foundation of all our asking, to me, as I understand prayer, is the key to strength in prayer. As Jesus prayed in the garden: “Father, not My will, but Yours be done!” We too often ask with such a limited understanding of outcomes, not realizing the Father sees from beginning to end, every conceivable scenario. Not to trust His judgment is truly weakness in prayer.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

How Are You Known?

“A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad. You brood of snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasure of an evil heart.” (Matthew 12:33-35 NLT)

What are your identifying characteristics? If someone is trying to describe you, what kinds of characteristics will they likely identify first? “She’s so sweet, kind, loving, caring…” “He’s a bully, full of himself, thoughtless, clueless…”

As a Jesus follower we’re bearing the fruit of the Spirit or we’re living a lie. How we speak, live, work, play, carry ourselves, in short, the characteristics of the person we really are will show, we can’t prevent it. We can pretend, seek to cover our flaws, pretend to be someone we’re not, but we will be found out.

Perhaps the greatest measure of who we are is illustrated through the exhibition of our faith. Are we a person of faith? How do we convey that to others? How would anyone who doesn’t know us recognize our life of faith? Why is that important? Because the fruit of our life will grow or die based on our measure of faith.

Greg Laurie helps us when he writes: “Be known for your faith, not your lack of faith.” How does someone recognize whether we have faith or not? Our attitude in trials, hardships, or pain reveals who we are at our core. If Jesus is our Lord and King, He will rule in every season of our lives, not just the good days. How so?

What’s foremost on our mind when we’re suffering? Or perhaps a better way to express that would be to ask: Who’s foremost on our mind when we’re suffering? If it’s not Jesus, where’s our faith? Nothing of significance is going to change in our health or our life except it passes through the filter of God’s permission.

We place a lot of stock in our doctors, as well we should, but doctors are limited. God is unlimited. Yes, of course, I trust my doctor’s wisdom and value their insights, but ultimately, I rely on the leadership of the Spirit of God to guide me in my choices regarding my health. I mentioned a few days ago that I was being considered for participation in a study to test a new drug that has proven helpful in reversing the effects of Alzheimer’s. It was exciting to think about that and I admit I was disappointed when I wasn’t accepted, but my trust is in Jesus, not in drugs, so, I’m confident if I’d needed to be in that trial I would have been. The Lord knows best, and my faith dictates my response even in disappointment. He has plans that will be better and more suited specifically for me, so, I will commit my confidence to Him.

What about you? What’s going on in your life that is enabling the brilliance of your faith to shine? In what area of your life is the Lord being exalted in this season? We are being identified as a child of God through and because of our trials, not in spite of them. They are purposeful, intended, God ordained for the very purpose of growing our faith. To miss that is to miss the point of faith. Faith is built in hardship.

So, I will ask again: How are you known?

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Radiate

“Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust Him, and He will help you. He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.” (Psalm 37:5-6 NLT)

When I think of the term radiate the thought that comes to mind is our old house when the kids were small. We had a floor furnace on the main floor and small gas heaters in the upstairs rooms. Of course, in the summer when we didn’t use them, the kids got used to putting their toothbrushes, toothpaste, and other small things on top of the heater in the bathroom.

Then comes Fall, cooler temperatures, and the need to once again begin using those old heaters. You know what happened. Even after many “warnings” of what would happen, I came into the bathroom one morning and the kids’ toothbrushes, toothpaste and a toy or two were melted to the top of the old heater.

“Radiate” “Used by permission, © Ray Majoran, GlimpseOfInfinity.com”

Fortunately, the radiance of Christ and the warmth of our love for others isn’t harmful. The Lord grows our innocence as we learn to trust Him more fully, and as it grows it becomes contagious, inviting, warm, and attractive to those in our spheres of influence.

As the Psalmist writes, our innocence grows out of our willingness to “Commit everything you do to the Lord.” The clear implication to me is, what we do in secret will become the basis for the radiance of our witness for our Lord. It matters little how we interact in public if our private walk with the Lord isn’t meaningful, personal, and endearing.

Radiance for our Lord grows out of our alone time with Him. Time alone with the Lord Jesus is precious, not only because we get to share in His closeness, His comforting, power-filled presence, but it’s in those moments He speaks to us, teaches us, reveals to us things about Himself that even the Scriptures don’t reveal, but also things about ourselves to which we’re blinded.

It’s not unlike conversations with our spouse or close friend. It’s the things that grow out of our conversations about nothing in particular. After nearly 32 years of marriage, my wife said to me recently, “I didn’t know that about you. You’ve never shared that with me before.” It wasn’t that I’d deliberately kept it from her, it had just never come up, and it wouldn’t have had we not been having that conversation.

It’s like that with the Lord. We learn things about Him, intimate things that we don’t read in the Bible, but we learn in His presence. Things like how interested He is in our individual lives. He’ll remind me of things I need to do, people He desires me to reach out to, attitudes I need to harness, or projects I need to complete.

They aren’t “universal” truths that apply to everyone, they are individual instructions that I would likely miss if it weren’t for my time with Him. Our spiritual radiance grows out of our intimacy with the Son. He is the Light of the world, and it’s His radiance that will be seen in and through our lives when we invest time with Him.

I love how Ray Majoran expresses it in his prayer: “Please forgive us when we hide our lives in fear, or when we look to human life approval instead of Your light. Teach us to walk openly before You with integrity and trust, so that our lives reflect Your brilliance. Through Your Word, shape us to shine with compassion, mercy, and truth, that the world might see the hope You have given us.”

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊

Unforgiveness

“If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:14-15 NLT)

Isn’t it almost comical how quickly we want to receive forgiveness, but how reluctant we are to offer it? And yes, of course, it sometimes depends on what we’re being asked to forgive; however, think of what we’re asking the Lord Jesus to forgive us – a lifetime of sin, disobedience, rebellion, and utter disregard of the clear teachings of the Scriptures.

Is our mountain of debt to God EVER less than what we’re being asked to forgive? It’s very doubtful, yet we get so rigid when someone’s sin affects us personally. Why is it our sin always looks smaller in comparison with someone else’s? It doesn’t seem such a big thing when we gossip about someone, but it’s a completely different animal when we’re the subject of someone else’s gossip.

A man came to John Wesley, a passionate preacher from the 1700’s, and said: “I could never forgive that person.” Wesley said, “Then I hope you never sin. When you are unforgiving, you’re burning the very bridge you need to walk across.” Jesus clearly stated in the verses above that to fail to forgive others is to block the Lord’s forgiveness of us.

What are the implications for us today? The same as they were when Jesus spoke the words. It’s not unlike asking the Lord for forgiveness in the first place. The Lord cannot and will not forgive a sin for which no forgiveness has been asked, yet He consistently asks us and invites us to ask. Matthew 7:7 in the New Living Translation conveys clearly: “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for.”

Unforgiveness is like drinking a cup of poison and expecting the other person to die, it has little or no bearing on the other person, but it kills us spiritually. At some point we must decide what we want most, to get even or be forgiven, we can’t have it both ways. Paul reminds us in Romans 12:19: “Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say: ‘I will take revenge; I will pay them back,’ says the Lord.”

There’s no vengeance we could ever take that would equal how effectively the Lord repays someone for hurting us. We have to learn to trust Him to do what He has asked us never to do. When we draw lines in the proverbial sand and determine there are certain things we will not forgive, we have drawn the line beyond which the Lord will not forgive us.

The bridge to forgiveness can only be crossed by those willing to forgive others. In some sense unforgiveness is the unpardonable sin, the sin for which there is no forgiveness, unless and until it is released to the Lord by a willingness to forgive those who have sinned against us.

We’re always looking for loopholes, an exception, something so great and for which we could never be expected to forgive someone. Is there a sin for which the Lord will not forgive us? And immediately we think of the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Further study will show that that sin is essentially growing so callous to our own sin we find no reason for which to ask forgiveness. A sin for which no forgiveness is asked can’t be forgiven!

An unforgiving spirit will result in a blindness to our own sin that blocks our repentant heart from seeking forgiveness from the Father who alone can provide what we need: deliverance from ourselves.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊