Tag Archives: Forgiveness

Faith and forgiveness help deputy recover

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Brandon Moore attributes his quick recovery and return to active duty 20-months after a life-threatening shooting to faith and forgiveness. Moore had nightmares weeks after being shot several times, including in the chest and “pulverizing” his leg. Many thought he would never return to activity duty again, but a great weight lifted and the nightmares stopped when he forgave the shooter. Now he speaks nationally to other officers about being vigilant, even in sleepy small towns like Mt. Gilead, Ohio. Read the full Deputy attributes life, recovery to faith story and see pictures from the Columbus Dispatch.

Forgiveness is much more important to the forgiver than receiver. This story shows its healing powers.

 

Ex-cons have kids too

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When most of us think about ex-cons, we think of a story we read of how hard it is for them to find a job and that many return to criminal activity to survive. What we rarely think or hear about is their families or their kids. Over 7 million children in the U.S. have a parent in the criminal justice system – many hoping their parent will be home soon. The Center for Employment Opportunities in New York City helps ex-prisoners reenter life and support their families. Jesus said to forgive seven times seventy times, so give an ex-con a chance in your business today. You could be helping a whole family heal. Learn more in the Making A Difference In 7 Million Children’s Lives story at the Huffington Post.

Payments for Sins (Leviticus 3,4,5,6,7)

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Bible Summary:

God gives Moses detailed regulations for fellowship, unintentional sins (by the High Priest, the whole community, the ruler or one of the common people), sins, repayments, burnt, and grain offerings, including animals to offer and steps to take in each case. A guilty person must confess the sin and bring the required animal offering, which the priest will offer as sacrifice for the man’s sins.

Sins include witnesses not showing in court when summoned, someone touching anything humanly or ritually unclean, like dead animals, and someone making a careless vow. Repayment offerings are to include the repayment plus an extra 20 percent. And, if anyone eats the fellowship offering without being ritually clean will no longer be one of God’s people.

My Thoughts:

Chance for Redemption: God gives the people of Israel opportunities to make amends for their wrongdoing by making offerings to receive forgiveness for their sins.

Unclean: This is the first reference in the Bible to uncleanliness. Keeping food clean may be what saved them from the plagues that killed so many in Egypt. The unclean here sound like the Untouchables of India who handle the dead.

First Late Fee: God introduces the first late payment fee of 20%. Luckily it is only a flat fee now, unless you have a low balance.

Last Days of Jacob and Joseph (Gen 49: 29-33, 50)

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Bible Summary:

On his deathbed, Jacob asks to be buried in Canaan next to his grandparents Abraham and Sarah and parents Isaac and Rebecca. Joseph orders Jacob’s body to be embalmed which takes 40-days. After 70-days of mourning, Joseph asks the king to allow him to bury Jacob in Canaan. The king agrees and a huge entourage ceremoniously transports Jacob’s body to Canaan and then buries him.

Joseph’s brothers are worried what he will do after the burial. They send a message seeking forgiveness for their crimes against him. Joseph reassures them not to be afraid since God orchestrated everything so he could save many lives. He tells them he will care for them and their children.

Joseph lives in Egypt with his sons, grandsons, and great-grandsons until he is 110 years old. He tells his brothers God will care for them and lead them out of Egypt back to the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He asks them to bring his body back with them, so they embalmed it and put it in a coffin.

My Thoughts:

Faith, Forgiveness, & Love: Joseph has had complete faith in God’s plan for him. He forgave his brothers for their awful crime and believes it was God’s Will all along. He feeds everyone so they might live and makes sure each family has an allowance even in slavery. He is emotional, cries and shows his love to his family.

Joseph sounds a lot like how Jesus taught us to be.

Joseph Helps His Family (Gen 44-45)

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Bible Summary:

Joseph sends his brothers away with full sacks of grain and secretly all their money plus a silver cup in Benjamin’s sack. His servant follows to question the brothers about stealing the cup. They all deny it, but the cup is found and Benjamin is ordered to stay. The brothers return to Joseph and Judah tries to negotiate Benjamin’s release because their father Jacob has already lost one son and would just die without Benjamin.

Joseph can no longer control his feelings so he sends his servants from the room and confesses his true identity. The brothers are so terrified they are speechless. Joseph calms them by saying God really sent him ahead to become ruler of Egypt to save people’s lives from the famine, including their family. He embraces each of them and cries for joy with Benjamin.

The news reaches the king and he tells Joseph to move his family from Canaan to Egypt to survive the last five years of the famine. He gives them wagons to move everyone. The brothers arrive back in Canaan with the stunning news of Joseph. When he can finally speak, Jacob tells them the only thing he would like before he dies is to see Joseph.

My Thoughts:

Forgiveness: Joseph tries to trick his brothers into leaving Benjamin but is overwhelmed by the possibility of his father dying over it. He does an incredible thing and forgives his brothers for selling him into slavery over twenty years prior. His forgiveness is possible from his everlasting faith in God having a plan for him, even though it took many years to fulfill. God has a plan for you. Be purposeful in all you do.