The Upper Room Daily Devotional in Nashville, Tennessee, United States for Sunday, 18 November 2018 "Forgive and Forget?" by Valerie L. Runyan (New Mexico)
(Image: Pixabay)
The Lord says, “I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more.” (Jeremiah 31:34)Today’s Bible reading is about Joseph forgiving his brothers, but it is also clear that Joseph had not forgotten what his brothers had done. Although the command to “forgive and forget” is not found specifically in the Bible, I still wish I could always forget. I can forgive small transgressions, and even forget most of them. Yet some hurtful memories continue to invade my heart, and this makes me question whether or not I have truly forgiven the person involved.
But years ago, a program on a study of bees gave me a whole new perspective. When a beehive is invaded by an outsider, the bees protect the hive by stinging the invader to death. If the remains are too large to remove, they begin to cover them with layers of wax, so thick that the features become blurred and difficult to distinguish. And here is the wonderful part — the intruder becomes a lasting part of the hive!
This gave me an insight into forgiveness. I cannot completely remove hurtful invading memories. They are a part of my heart and who I am in Christ. But I can continually wrap them in layers of prayer and, with time, blur the hurtful details so that they no longer have power over me.
TODAY'S PRAYER: Compassionate God, thank you for the forgiveness we have in your son. Help us to honor you today. Amen.
TODAY'S READING:
Genesis 45:14 This is why I kneel before the Father. 15 Every ethnic group in heaven or on earth is recognized by him. 16 I ask that he will strengthen you in your inner selves from the riches of his glory through the Spirit. 17 I ask that Christ will live in your hearts through faith. As a result of having strong roots in love, 18 I ask that you’ll have the power to grasp love’s width and length, height and depth, together with all believers. 19 I ask that you’ll know the love of Christ that is beyond knowledge so that you will be filled entirely with the fullness of God. (Common English Bible)
Genesis 45:4 Yosef said to his brothers, “Please! Come closer.” And they came closer. He said, “I am Yosef, your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. 5 But don’t be sad that you sold me into slavery here or angry at yourselves, because it was God who sent me ahead of you to preserve life. 6 The famine has been over the land for the last two years, and for yet another five years there will be neither plowing nor harvest. 7 God sent me ahead of you to ensure that you will have descendants on earth and to save your lives in a great deliverance. (iii) 8 So it was not you who sent me here, but God; and he has made me a father to Pharaoh, lord of all his household and ruler over the whole land of Egypt. 9 Hurry, go up to my father, and tell him, ‘Here is what your son Yosef says: “God has made me lord of all Egypt! Come down to me, don’t delay! 10 You will live in the land of Goshen and be near me — you, your children, your grandchildren, flocks, herds, everything you own. 11 I will provide for you there, so that you won’t become poverty-stricken, you, your household and all that you have; because five years of famine are yet to come.”’ 12 Here! Your own eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Binyamin, that it is my own mouth speaking to you. 13 Tell my father how honored I am in Egypt and everything you have seen, and quickly bring my father down here!” 14 Then he embraced his brother Binyamin and wept, and Binyamin wept on his neck, 15 and he kissed all his brothers and wept on them. After that, his brothers talked with him. (Complete Jewish Bible).
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Whatever pain enters my heart can help me grow in Christ.
PRAYER FOCUS: Beekeepers
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