The Power of Forgiveness

It's Fathers Day.  The greatest gift my heavenly Father gives me is forgiveness.  I read Psalm 130 the other morning and can't get it out of my mind.  Verses 3 & 4 say, "LORD, if you kept a record of our sins, who O Lord, could ever survive?  But You offer forgiveness, that we might learn to fear You."  To fear the LORD is to stand in awe...to respect and honor...to be blown away by Him.  If that verse doesn't blow you away I don't know what could.  To think that He offers forgiveness to a people like us is ludicrous!  It SO speaks of His power.

Then I began to think how powerful it is when we forgive.  Unforgiveness is natural.  When I choose to hold an offense against someone, I'm doing what comes natural.  But when I choose to forgive...I mean really forgive...without retaliating...I'm doing the supernatural...acting like my Father.  How POWERFUL is that?  To run to Jesus with my broken heart and allow Him to heal it but to release the person who has done the wrong into His hands too.  "It is mine to avenge, I will repay" says the Lord (Hebrews 10:30).  

THE most popular song among kids today I'm sure is the theme song from Disney's Frozen.  Boy, when it comes to forgiveness, how different would our world be if we could just "LET IT GO!"  God, our heavenly Father is the FIRST and the LAST to truly let it go...for all who will ask.  How beautiful is that?  Yet, we who are called by His name often refuse to do so.  Or, we say we forgive but there are mighty long strings attached!!

I love the name Grace!  Father, let my life be defined by that word.  I want to teach my Grace, not only with words but by example, what living in the power of forgiveness looks like. 

LORD, if you kept a record of my sins, I couldn't survive!  But You offer forgiveness and I stand in awe of You tonight!!