Last night was uneasy and restless. Pat and I retired at the usual hour but after I had slept less than an hour, I was awaken with a heavy burden the Holy Spirit placed upon me. I was led to pray through the night for several Pat and I know who have received God’s merciful forgiveness, but will not, or cannot, express the same toward others.
Through the night and early morning hours I was reminded of the father and lost son in Luke 15. The older King James Version, the Bible text of my youth, records, “And he (the one who is often called “Prodigal”) arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. (Verse 20) Jesus’ parable is too simple to misunderstand and teaches all-important truths.
1. No grievance or wrong is beyond our Heavenly Father’s willingness or capacity to forgive. Paul reinforced the lesson in his letter to the Romans, “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (5:6-8)
2. The Father’s forgiveness is immediate, no “waiting-to-see-if-you-mean-it” time lags. Unfortunately, those whose life experiences burdened me to intercede throughout the night are leveraging their hurt and extracting what our Father in Heaven never required of us.
3. Our Heavenly Father’s forgiveness includes full restoration. Think of it! There is no limitation placed on the child of God who in response to the Holy Spirit’s wooing returns to the Father! Rings a nd robes await all who return to the Father.
4. God’s forgiveness is filled with joyful promise, enough reason for looking ahead with a song and spirit of expectance. Consider John’s encouragement to all who have received the Father’s mercy. “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” (1 John 3:2) It will get even better than the best we know today!
5. The ones who have wounded others, while enjoying their new freedom and our Father’s acceptance, must also observe closely that they have wounded others. The Prodigal came home with a broken spirit and willing to serve his father as a hired hand. But, his brother still struggled and received the father’s rebuke. Our Father addressed the needs of both sons.
Forgiveness is not an easy exercise. In practical experience, I have observed people who nurtured a grudge and froze others out of the church’s or family’s circle of friendship and acceptance. They were crippled and unable to forgive, forget, and restore. On occasion spiritual siblings worshiping a few feet from each other refused to greet one another.
I learned an important lesson as a pre-teen boy listening to a camp meeting speaker who told the story of a couple who had one child, a son. When the son was old enough, the parents encouraged the boy to work a paper route. One collection day when the boy’s pockets were full of money, an older, stronger boy stole the money, and during the attack inflicted wounds which led to the son’s death. The parents grieved, and grew increasingly bitter because the object of their affection and hopes for a future with extended family were dashed. The angry, mother and father withdrew emotionally and refused to do anything except reinforce the memory of a heinous injustice. The man who told the story in my hearing was the family’s pastor. On communion Sunday, the pastor told of the love and forgiveness of our Heavenly Father. The Holy Spirit cut through the deadly bitterness and anger. The mercy of God cleansed and mended their broken spirits. As Christmas approached year, the once bitter and angry couple petitioned the court for permission to visit their son’s murderer. During their visit the parents extended forgiveness and later even took Christmas appropriate gifts. In time, the courts allowed the forgiving, Spirit-transformed couple to adopt the boy who had taken the life of their son.
The lesson has served me well for more than 50 years. Last night the Holy Spirit used the story to release faith in my spirit as I interceded for people who have been terribly wronged, who need the ministry of the Holy Spirit to enable them to forgive.
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