31 October 07 - 14:52
How Many Times Should We Forgive Them?
Then Peter came and said to Him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. Matt. 18:21-22
This verse is the focus of our ministry yet sometimes I forget that to forgive is who Jesus Christ is. Scripture can speak so loud and convict you to the very core of your being. Tonight it was that way for me. We so often see the same women over and over again. Women that continually abuse their bodies with alcohol and drugs, then sell their bodies to be abused so they can buy more drugs and start the cycle all over again. Some days you want to scream at them to stop! Then it hits you that maybe you are looking in a mirror. You may not be doing drugs or selling yourself on the street but are you trusting God to forgive you for the sins you commit against Him? Do you trust that He will care for you, forgive you, love you and welcome you just as you are, broken, battered, used, abused or maybe indifferent, proud of personal accomplishments and closed to His message?
“K” is still there standing on her corner pacing back and forth. “I’m trying to get enough money to help my son when he gets out of Juvenile lockup on Thursday. When he is back home I will leave the streets and get my life in order.”
“T” is sitting on the curb again so high he can hardly speak his own name.
“Ev” is standing by the bus stop again afraid to go home to the solitude, afraid of facing surgery on Monday and feeling so alone.
“A”, “S”, “Ke”, “Ta”, and a few of their friends just hanging out getting high while the kids watch TV in the other room.
Then we ask if we could pray with them and they grab our hands and bow their heads.
“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Matt. 18:20
In the midst of prayer our gentle Savior reminds you that He is in control and you give thanks. Then he calls to mind the phone call we received yesterday from Pam. Last weeks emails talked about Pam, about her getting clean and getting a job. Well, she called to say she wants to stay in touch with us and also to share what happened on the night we first met her. She had driven into the neighborhood where we do outreach so that she could work the streets and buy her drugs. She told us that she knew the Lord but had turned her back on Him and didn’t feel that He would welcome her back into relationship with Him. She never suspected that God was going to turn her life around that night. After we met and prayed with her she got in her car and went home. She sat in her driveway for an hour just crying out to God. Rejoicing that He was pursuing her, wrapping her in His loving arms and waiting to walk through life with her. She has been clean over 90 days, has a job and is thankful she has her children with her and can take them to church. Thank you Lord for blessing us with her call and may we encourage one another giving all Glory to You.
But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.
2 Cor. 2:14-15
So reach out and welcome one another to God's glory. Jesus did it; now you do it! Romans 15:7a (MSG)
Have a blessed week,
Donna
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