Forgive Others
Recently I read two books about World War II. In school we all studied world history and this particular war at some point and time. Many times in school we would think to ourselves these thoughts about our classes: What does this have to do with me? Why do I have to learn this? This happened years ago!
If we are honest with ourselves, many times we thought some classes were downright pure torture. After reading these books, I realized a lot of us know little about the atrocities suffered by these two men in the two books. Unbelievable and horrific describe their experiences the best.
One man survived after being captured and tortured in the Pacific theatre of the war. The other man survived after being captured and tortured in the European theatre.
What one or more human beings can do to another human being in war is nothing short of hell on earth. What one or more human beings can do to another human being in a war-free zone can sometimes be nothing short of hell on earth. No one should have to experience hell on earth, or even in the afterlife. Sadly, it has and does happen.
This morning I worshiped in a church that was founded in the early 1900s. The minister preaching was 87 years old. I could easily say that his sermon was one of the most biblical and inspirational sermons I have heard. I told my wife that this was a man who is so badly needed in many pulpits today. He talked about brutality (in the Bible), repentance, salvation, and the Holy Spirit. He used the apostle Paul as a good example.
He talked about how Saul treated Christians before he became a Christian and his name was changed to Paul. God can transform bad lives into good lives.
One of the POW (Prisoners of War) in the two books I read was singled out and severely beaten routinely by the guards and leaders. After the war, he experienced nightmares about his abusers and revenge. This would all change after he experienced repentance, salvation and the Holy Spirit in his life. He realized that God forgave him of his sins and he must forgive those who abused him. He realized that sin is sin. Sin does not come in large, medium or small sizes. Sin is simply sin. He returned to his torturers and told them he forgave them.
God calls all of us to seek forgiveness for the sins we commit intentionally or unintentionally. When we ask for forgiveness, God forgives us. Likewise, His directive is that we forgive others as He has forgiven us. If we say the Lord’s Prayer, we are saying this to be true in our own lives.
A lot of people have experienced abuses, pains, sufferings and unimaginable atrocities from people created in the image of God, but not living in the presence and power of God. God is not in control of their lives and the lives of others are being diminished and lessened because of this.
Ask the Lord, today, to forgive you of your sins and begin forgiving others, today, for the sins they’ve committed toward you. In so doing, you are doing the will of God. Easy? No. Possible?
Yes. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
If a war veteran can do this, we can, too.