May 9, 2006

[Rev. Doc]

To Forgive Like God

"as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us."
Psalms 103:12

One of the more touching scenes in the Chronicles of Narnia the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe comes near the end after Edmund has fallen under the spell of evil. He has become obsessed with Turkish Delight to the point where he betrays his own brother and sisters.

Once Aslan has forgiven him – he brings Edmund to his siblings and says: There is no more need to talk to Edmund about the past.

Perhaps the most amazing thing of all about God’s forgiving grace – is that once he has cleansed and pardoned us from our sins – there is no more need to talk about the past. In Christ it has been completely dealt with and is now as far from us as East is from West. Infinitely removed.

Prayer: Ask God to help you forgive as He has forgiven.

"Forgiveness to letting go of a bell rope. If you have ever seen a country church with a bell in the steeple, you will remember that to get the bell ringing you have to tug awhile. Once it has begun to ring, you merely maintain the momentum. As long as you keep pulling, the bell keeps ringing. Forgiveness is letting go of the rope. It is just that simple. But when you do so, the bell keeps ringing. Momentum is still at work. However, if you keep your hands off the rope, the bell will begin to slow and eventually stop."
~Corrie Ten Boom

[Syreth]

This is a blessing, because sometimes it's hard to forgive yourself for past mistakes. One idea I also liked in the Chronicles of Narnia is in the Horse's Boy when Aslan tells them not to thing about how things would have been. I think that's very practical and insightful advice. I just have to remind myself of these things sometimes. ^^