How Do We Forgive Awful?

In my last blog I talked about 9/11, and things that happened on that day. in reference to Joseph’s response to his brother’s attempt to ask for forgiveness for the awful/evil things they did to Joseph.

September 11th created a radically new chapter in the history of the  United States of America.

A day that most of us can remember moment by moment. 

We can remember where we were, what we were doing, how we were feeling, and how we spent that awful challenging day.

Horror, anger, disbelief, outrage etc.,  filled our thinking and our speaking.  

Now, nineteen years later, I sit here wondering about the issue before us as we read Genesis 50:15-21

15 Realizing that their father was dead, Joseph’s brothers said, ‘What if Joseph still bears a grudge against us and pays us back in full for all the wrong that we did to him?’ ¹⁶So they approached Joseph, saying, ‘Your father gave this instruction before he died, ¹⁷“Say to Joseph: I beg you, forgive the crime of your brothers and the wrong they did in harming you.” Now therefore please forgive the crime of the servants of the God of your father.’ Joseph wept when they spoke to him. ¹⁸Then his brothers also wept, fell down before him, and said, ‘We are here as your slaves.’ ¹⁹But Joseph said to them, ‘Do not be afraid! Am I in the place of God? ²⁰Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today. ²¹So have no fear; I myself will provide for you and your little ones.’ In this way he reassured them, speaking kindly to them.

First of all the brothers did not ask for forgiveness.  

⁷“Say to Joseph: I beg you, forgive the crime of your brothers and the wrong they did in harming you.” Now therefore please forgive the crime of the servants of the God of your father.’ 

How did Joseph respond?

⁹But Joseph said to them, ‘Do not be afraid! Am I in the place of God? ²⁰Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today. 

Those who cause the destruction in New York, Washington D.C and over the skis of Pennsylvania, on September 11 2001, never even considered asking for forgiveness.

As a matter of fact, they believed they were doing God’s work.

So in order for those affected by that awful day to live in peace, they needed a different way to forgive.

For their own peace of mind they need to grapple with what they grieved; and yet could do nothing about.

Put yourself in their place.

How would you do it?

I would imagine you would do it much like Joseph did.  He took life as it came and trusted in God’s presence and guidance.  Then lived each moment at a time.

Now I invite you to notice how Joseph responded to his brothers.

Notice that he didn’t actually say he forgave his brothers?

He basically told them they needed to let God do the forgiving.  And in order to do that they needed to repent to God for their sins.

However, by his actions Joseph show no revenge.  

By his actions he showed the love and mercy of God.

I want to think God mended Joseph’s anger and pain as a result of his brother’s action toward him.

As Joseph lived his life, in a foreign country/culture, he grew in faith and thus wisdom.  Learning to adjust to the awful that had been done to him

Without God’s gracious help, forgiveness is impossible for the human physic to manage.

That is just the truth.

A Day We Wish We Could Forget

Sitting here this morning thinking about  9-11-2001; and  three songs came in to my mind: Darryl Worley's "Have You Forgotten", Alan Jackson's "Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning" and An artist unknown to me "Do You Remember?" 

All three of those songs talk about a day none of us could ignore; nor ever forget.  

Maybe not in our every minute; but this date is one that will never pass without a memory.  Why?  Because it woke us up to the possibility that the United States of America is also vulnerable.  

And that is horrifying to a people who have, for so long, lived in denial of such possibility.

The songs are graphic and bring back the pain of that day.  The sadness that our sisters and brothers on the East coast experienced in those awful moments in New York City, Washington D.C. and in the air over Pennsylvania.  

The destruction was massive and quick.  

No chance to change it. 

   

No possibility that it didn't happen on American soil.  

      

Bam

          Done 

                     Horrifying

                                          Period.  

Now, in the safety of your own home today, think about  that horrific -- un-godly  -- action taken in the name of God.  Yes, in the name of "God", a minority group of people who claim to have the will of God as their personal guide for doing what they did.

And yet what they did, it seems to me and many others I am sure, was so against the God I have faith in.

  

Now, I invite you to remember the God that Jesus came to personally model for us.

The God of love and compassion, mercy and forgiveness.  

A God who wants peace among his people. 

A God who came in Jesus skin to teach us not to be mean or unkind to others. 

A God who long before he came to earth, in Jesus skin, had his Prophet Isaiah announce to the nation:

4 He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up swords against nation, neither shall they  learn war any more.   

Now I ask you:  Does that sound like a God who would have airplanes used do such massive destruction and murder?

And yet, with all that being written, we have in our country groups of Christians -- who claim to believe in Jesus --who would have us believe that God is a God like the God the Taliban believes in -- a God of wrath, judgment and destruction.  Who want us to believe that if we don't watch out God will get us, and punish us, and send us to hell or maybe have us killed. 

Now go online and listen to those songs sung from deep in hearts of those three men.  

                Watch the pictures.  

                           Then remember that morning.  

Where you are and what you are doing" 

And remember now the healing that has taken place by God's Grace alone.  

And remember that God does not wish for us to do harm -- large or small -- to our neighbors.  

Neighbors close.  

                        Or neighbors far away.

God Forgives The Unforgivable

There are two readings for this Sunday’s lectionary, that I want to attempt to reflex on.  

The first one is Psalm 103.

The second on is Genesis 50: 15-21.

As we reads through Psalm 103, that I reference in yesterday’s blog, we find a remarkable description of the divine/human relationship.  The clarification is spoken in verse 10: 

¹⁰ He does not deal with us according to our sins,

   nor repay us according to our iniquities. 

“Iniquities” have the meaning, today, of wickedness or evil.

Think about this: Think of the worst of the worst ‘sin’.  The one thing you understand as unforgivable, what would it be?

That ‘sin’ is still not enough to stop God’s love and mercy; God’s never failing compassion and gracious consideration.

¹⁴ For he knows how we were made;

   he remembers that we are dust.

God’s mind and heart are far greater, and far wider, than anything the human mind can imagine.

How does this bit of information compute in your brain?

As I get older, and continue to study God’s word, I can’t help but wonder about the two characteristics talked about in the two readings for this week,

The two characteristics that God portrays in His love and forgiveness.

I have learned that we — you and I — have no idea how blessed we are.

We have no idea what God does in this life we live.  In this world we live in.

A world where the good, the bad, and the ugly share the very same space with God.

I don’t think we have a clue that God is in the middle — surrounding all the crap of life that we create.  All the time preparing, and repairing,  and recreating something better.

That my friends is an amazing truth.

Just when we think this world is going to hell-in-a-hand basket.  God shows up and proves us wrong.

He did that in Joseph’s life. 

   
       He did the same thing after 9/11.

                                 
                  And He is still doing it today.

More on this next time.

¹ Bless the Lord, O my soul,

   and all that is within me,

   bless his holy name. 

² Bless the Lord, O my soul,

   and do not forget all his benefits— 

³ who forgives all your iniquity,

   who heals all your diseases, 

⁴ who redeems your life from the Pit,

   who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, 

⁵ who satisfies you with good as long as you live

   so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. 

⁶ The Lord works vindication

   and justice for all who are oppressed. 

⁷ He made known his ways to Moses,

   his acts to the people of Israel. 

⁸ The Lord is merciful and gracious,

   slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 

⁹ He will not always accuse,

   nor will he keep his anger for ever. 

¹⁰ He does not deal with us according to our sins,

   nor repay us according to our iniquities. 

¹¹ For as the heavens are high above the earth,

   so great is his steadfast love towards those who fear him; 

¹² as far as the east is from the west,

   so far he removes our transgressions from us. 

¹³ As a father has compassion for his children,

   so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him. 

¹⁴ For he knows how we were made;

   he remembers that we are dust. 

¹⁵ As for mortals, their days are like grass;

   they flourish like a flower of the field; 

¹⁶ for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,

   and its place knows it no more. 

¹⁷ But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting

   on those who fear him,

   and his righteousness to children’s children, 

¹⁸ to those who keep his covenant

   and remember to do his commandments. 

¹⁹ The Lord has established his throne in the heavens,

   and his kingdom rules over all. 

²⁰ Bless the Lord, O you his angels,

   you mighty ones who do his bidding,

   obedient to his spoken word. 

²¹ Bless the Lord, all his hosts,

   his ministers that do his will. 

²² Bless the Lord, all his works,

   in all places of his dominion.

Bless the Lord, O my soul.(Ps. 103)