FBC Daily Devotions

I was thinking about yesterday’s post on forgiveness, and I think maybe it was a little insensitive to those who have experienced significant trauma in their past. “Just forgive; it’s our responsibility!” may have been the message one got from yesterday’s post. Well, it is a lot easier said than done in some cases. I hear you.

Many people struggle emotionally to forgive a hurtful individual, and it is not easy to forgive someone who has wielded degrading insults and abusive behavior like a sword for many years. The thought of forgiveness as a responsibility with an attitude of humility no doubt evokes the same response as the disciples: “Increase our faith!” Forgiving others is perhaps the most difficult part of a Christian’s life — which is why we are unable to do it without Christ. When the pain runs deep, the need for God’s supernatural power to provide understanding and a peace deeper than the pain is needed. If you struggle in this area of forgiveness due to years of scarring, I know of no formulas to release the pain. But I will tell you that it begins with Christ and pondering and reflecting on His wonderful forgiveness in our own lives. I think of that verse that says, “We love because He first loved us.” (1John 4:19) God’s great love for us paid the price of forgiveness. Dwell on that for a while and then consider just how much God loves you. Consider how special you are in His eyes even when you failed Him over and over again. And then pray that the truth of that reality might give you the strength to begin the process of healing to forgive your offender. It is not easy. Not wanting to sound too cliche or flippant, but Scripture is true: “Not by might, nor by power (and this means our own might and power), but by my Spirit” says the Lord Almighty. (Zech. 4:6) The power to forgive begins and ends with Christ and the power of His Spirit in our lives.

I’m going to be looking at Luke’s account leading up to the Passion week. It is interesting that I originally intended to begin in chapter 18, but this morning I “accidentally” started in chapter 17. There are no accidents with God, and I am confident He wanted me to think upon this passage on forgiveness.

Take a moment and read Luke 17:3-10.

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Jesus commands the disciples to forgive a repentant person[1] every time – even seven times in one day (which really means every time). That takes a tremendous amount of strength! In the words of the disciples, it takes tremendous faith. Indeed, to be offended over and over again requires a deep faith to transcend repeated offenses.

But then Jesus goes on to tell the story of a servant who works hard all day, and then serves his master, and then lastly takes care of himself. Jesus goes on to point out that a servant is unworthy and should not expect to be given thanks for something he was commanded to do – he did his job, nothing more.

How does this tie in with forgiveness? It is found in the attitude of the servant. Forgiving an offense over and over again is most difficult when a person has an attitude that says, “Why should I forgive this person? I’m the victim here. If anything, he owes me recompense!” But in the story of the servant, he has no standing to demand anything from the master since he was doing what was commanded – it was expected of him such that he could not demand better treatment. Likewise, forgiveness is really a duty that does not deserve some sort of payment or pedestal treatment. As a follower of Christ, we have no standing to demand conditions upon forgiveness, nor recompense for an offense. We are but unworthy servants of God carrying out our responsibility to forgive. This is true humility…and it is difficult even by the disciples’ admission.

“We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.” (v. 10).

If we go through life with that attitude – an attitude of an unworthy slave – it will make forgiveness a whole lot easier. Forgiveness is a responsibility without rights. Now that’s a hard one to swallow, but that is the mark of Jesus’ teaching here. We are but unworthy slaves. Make that your attitude as you face the difficult challenge of forgiveness – and remember, Christ died an undeserving death for you and me. May He be our example in this high command to forgive.

[1] Is repentance a condition of forgiveness? No. Repentance is all the more reason why forgiveness can’t be withheld. The person is repentant – who are we to reject this person? This attitude of humility is the thrust of the passage.

This week marks the final week before Christ’s peak in popularity to His sudden and fatal fall. As we head into Passion week, I thought I would look at some areas that Christ emphasized entering the week. There are not enough days to touch upon everything, but there are a few things that have caught my attention in my reading these last days – forgiveness, prayer, and wealth to name a few.

While we’re talking about these days leading up to the Passion of Christ, I am reminded that we are in the middle of the Lenten season. I know some of you have chosen to give up something (e.g. indulgences) to impress upon yourself the sacrifice and cost of Christ’s suffering death. How is it going? For myself – and I’ll be very frank — it has not been that difficult, which is a sure sign that I didn’t choose to sacrifice enough in my choice! Perhaps next year I should challenge myself more.

Well, enough of that, let’s begin our look at Jesus, shall we? On to the next post…

Yes, it has been quite some time since I published a devotion! The ebb and flow of ministry and life has a way of knocking one off the track of routine. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, though, as long as it doesn’t take us away from our all-important time with God. I trust you spent time with God despite the absence of these daily devotions. (I am not so foolish as to think these devotionals are somehow critical to your spiritual growth!)

Yesterday, we finished the book of Proverbs in our Sunday sermon series. It has been a very enjoyably challenging time. There are so few areas of life that are not reflected in some way by this book. What has God impressed on you during the course of your time through the book?

As I reflect back over the last 2-1/2 months, I am reminded that a life of wisdom begins with the fear of theLord (Pr. 1:7). A proper respect and perspective of God in our lives — every day, every moment — is the source of wise living. From there on, wise living is a choice. Every decision we make, every response we give, every attitude we have is a choice. 

Right now I can think of several decisions that I need to make. They aren’t huge decisions. But I find that I’m conflicted between what I want and what is wise. Sometimes what we want isn’t the wisest thing to pursue. That’s when the choice of wise living is difficult! So I have to make a choice, and I am convinced in my head that the wise choice is the right choice. (Now I just have to convince my impulsive nature…)

So as you go about your day, think about the choices you make, and make them wisely. I know that’s not always easy, but really, isn’t it the right way to live?

“But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” – Joshua 24:15

Further Wise Sayings of Solomon

The Right Word at the Right Time

 ¹ There are also these proverbs of Solomon, 
   collected by scribes of Hezekiah, king of Judah.

 ² God delights in concealing things;
   scientists delight in discovering things.

 ³ Like the horizons for breadth and the ocean for depth,
   the understanding of a good leader is broad and deep.

 ^4-5 Remove impurities from the silver
   and the silversmith can craft a fine chalice;
Remove the wicked from leadership
   and authority will be credible and God-honoring.

 ^6-7 Don’t work yourself into the spotlight;
   don’t push your way into the place of prominence.
It’s better to be promoted to a place of honor
   than face humiliation by being demoted.

 ⁸ Don’t jump to conclusions—there may be
   a perfectly good explanation for what you just saw.

 ^9-10 In the heat of an argument,
   don’t betray confidences;
Word is sure to get around,
   and no one will trust you.

 ^11-12 The right word at the right time
   is like a custom-made piece of jewelry,
And a wise friend’s timely reprimand
   is like a gold ring slipped on your finger.

 ¹³ Reliable friends who do what they say
   are like cool drinks in sweltering heat—refreshing!

 ¹⁴ Like billowing clouds that bring no rain
   is the person who talks big but never produces.

 ¹⁵ Patient persistence pierces through indifference;
   gentle speech breaks down rigid defenses.

A Person Without Self-Control

 ^16-17 When you’re given a box of candy, don’t gulp it all down;
   eat too much chocolate and you’ll make yourself sick;
And when you find a friend, don’t outwear your welcome;
   show up at all hours and he’ll soon get fed up.

 ¹⁸ Anyone who tells lies against the neighbors
   in court or on the street is a loose cannon.

 ¹⁹ Trusting a double-crosser when you’re in trouble
   is like biting down on an abscessed tooth.

 ²⁰ Singing light songs to the heavyhearted
   is like pouring salt in their wounds.

 ^21-22 If you see your enemy hungry, go buy him lunch;
   if he’s thirsty, bring him a drink.
Your generosity will surprise him with goodness,
   and God will look after you.

 ²³ A north wind brings stormy weather,
   and a gossipy tongue stormy looks.

 ²⁴ Better to live alone in a tumbledown shack
   than share a mansion with a nagging spouse.

 ²⁵ Like a cool drink of water when you’re worn out and weary
   is a letter from a long-lost friend.

 ²⁶ A good person who gives in to a bad person
   is a muddied spring, a polluted well.

 ²⁷ It’s not smart to stuff yourself with sweets,
   nor is glory piled on glory good for you.

 ²⁸ A person without self-control
   is like a house with its doors and windows knocked out.