Forgive
Lora Parsons
The Ashland Beacon
When I think about the word “forgive,” my mind goes straight to seven-year-old Lora and five-year-old Jana, my sister. There were more than a few occasions where one of us would do something wrong to the other and we’d have to apologize. It usually went something like: “Apologize to your sister” which would be followed by a half-hearted “I’m sorry.” But that was never good enough and we’d be prompted immediately to explain what we were sorry for. Whatever it was, the final step of the apology protocol was, “Now, tell your sister you forgive her … and hug and make up.” It was always a two-person conversation and always followed by the hug.
For the last little bit, I’ve been pondering the word “forgive” in light of what Jesus offers us. I think it’s kind of funny that I’ve never seen the word for its parts until now: “for” and “give.” My devotional this morning was about how active God is – that He’s never just idle, doing nothing. His work is good; it’s focused on bringing others to Him; and it’s an active work – seeking, guiding, loving, correcting, and, among many other things, forgiving.
He for-gives when we ask. He GIVES us the mercy and grace we couldn’t secure for ourselves. And, maybe even more beautiful than “He forgives” is the fact that He for-takes us on just as we are, with all our flaws and mistakes and sometimes-intentional wrongdoings. Two words that look to be opposite one another paint a full picture of what He does when we come to Him with all our brokenness. He for-gives-and-takes all at once.
All that we bring and lay at His feet – is for-keeps. Our loving Father doesn’t hold over our heads the wrong we’ve done. He doesn’t make conditional statements on His mercy and grace like “I’ll forgive you as long as you do enough good.” No, He for-gives-and-takes-and-keeps what we confess to Him and covers it fully with the blood of Jesus. When He GIVES us His pardon, it’s complete. When He TAKES our sin, it’s complete. When He removes the guilt and condemnation of our sin, it’s for KEEPS – as far as the East is from the West – and He trades us that for an eternity with Him. His for-give-take-keep-ness is whole and in turn we are made whole. He hugs us up to Him, and we can find ourselves there in His presence forever.
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