I was praying today..
praying for somebody from whom I'm hurt..
Asking God to draw him close to HIM.. and give him eternal life...
- "Do you really want this?", he asked
- Well... ofcourse God! It's the "love your enemies" part!
- I am saying : really.. do you want him with you eternally. He'll be with you forever. You'll be in the same place with him for no end...
- Well... emmmm... You know I forgive him...
- So?
- You know I really really forgave him. But I wish he remains away from me. I think I will not be happy seeing him around. Especially for eternity!
- But, you know in heaven there is no place except for love. The two of you cannot be in heaven with me, and at the same time feelings of unwanting, discomfort, "wish you are gone" sort of things.
- It's difficult, what can I do?
- Do as Joseph did.
- Yeah.. he forgave his brothers, I know. He's my role model!
- He not only forgave them, but invited them to come and live with him! Twenty years later, after they abused him, sold him as a slave, turned his life upside down and sat him apart from everything he loved... He not only forgave them, but told them " You shall live in the region of Goshen and be near me—you, your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and all you have" (Genesis 45:10). He asked those who hurt him the most to come and dwell beside him. He did not say "Good, God you placed them away from me so that I can forget all about them and let go the past and live my life". No!
- But.. this was for the sake of his father Jacob!
- No, remember what happened after his father died: "When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, "What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?"... But Joseph said to them, "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. So then, don't be afraid. I will provide for you and your children. And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them." (Genesis 50: 15-19)
This is what I call forgivness Mero. Forgivness is not "live in your own life and let me live in mine, and no harm". When Joseph forgave, he asked his ex-enemies to move near him, he fed them AND their families.. and he saw good out of their harmful actions. This is Forgivness .. and this is the way I want you to forgive those who hurt you :)
praying for somebody from whom I'm hurt..
Asking God to draw him close to HIM.. and give him eternal life...
- "Do you really want this?", he asked
- Well... ofcourse God! It's the "love your enemies" part!
- I am saying : really.. do you want him with you eternally. He'll be with you forever. You'll be in the same place with him for no end...
- Well... emmmm... You know I forgive him...
- So?
- You know I really really forgave him. But I wish he remains away from me. I think I will not be happy seeing him around. Especially for eternity!
- But, you know in heaven there is no place except for love. The two of you cannot be in heaven with me, and at the same time feelings of unwanting, discomfort, "wish you are gone" sort of things.
- It's difficult, what can I do?
- Do as Joseph did.
- Yeah.. he forgave his brothers, I know. He's my role model!
- He not only forgave them, but invited them to come and live with him! Twenty years later, after they abused him, sold him as a slave, turned his life upside down and sat him apart from everything he loved... He not only forgave them, but told them " You shall live in the region of Goshen and be near me—you, your children and grandchildren, your flocks and herds, and all you have" (Genesis 45:10). He asked those who hurt him the most to come and dwell beside him. He did not say "Good, God you placed them away from me so that I can forget all about them and let go the past and live my life". No!
- But.. this was for the sake of his father Jacob!
- No, remember what happened after his father died: "When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, "What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?"... But Joseph said to them, "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. So then, don't be afraid. I will provide for you and your children. And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them." (Genesis 50: 15-19)
This is what I call forgivness Mero. Forgivness is not "live in your own life and let me live in mine, and no harm". When Joseph forgave, he asked his ex-enemies to move near him, he fed them AND their families.. and he saw good out of their harmful actions. This is Forgivness .. and this is the way I want you to forgive those who hurt you :)
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