Remember and Forgive

You've probably heard the phrase "forgive and forget" so many times that you assume it's a Bible verse. In fact, it is not. If you've been sinned against, it will be almost impossible to forget what has happened to you. For instance, this weekend's Old Testament lesson is about Joseph assuring his brothers that he has indeed forgiven them. He didn't say to them, "I have no idea what you're talking about. I don't remember you selling me as a slave after throwing me in a dried-up well where you were going to leave me to die. I don't remember what it was like to be a slave in Egypt and then get thrown in prison for something I didn't do." What he did say was, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." (Genesis 50:19-20)

Do you know what Joseph did? He remembered and forgave. He remembered who it is who is working through all things (God) and what God was doing: putting his brothers in a place where they had the opportunity to repent and live a new way so that God's work would be accomplished.

So how do we as followers of Jesus remember and forgive? We think back to the cross and our Lord's merciful, gracious, compassionate love for us in wanting to save us from eternal separation from God. Through our sinfulness, we give Him several reasons to judge and punish us, but He would much rather save us. If He acts that way towards us, then our prayer is, "Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us."

But what do we do when we remember a person's sins and the person who has sinned against us remembers those actions and doesn't care? Our prayer at that point is, "Lord, lead that person to see that he or she is walking away from You. Lead that person to repent so he or she can know the wonder of Your forgiving love as I do. And when that person sincerely repents, help me to remember Your love and forgive as You have forgiven me." -Pastor Schmidt