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REFLECTION

Forgive your enemies is the theme for our reflection. To forgive means to stop feeling angry or resentful towards someone for an offence or to cancel the punishment of the offender. Forgiveness can also be defined as cancelling the dept of a debtor as if he or she never owed. Forgiveness is showing mercy and giving an opportunity for restoration to an offender in a broken relationship. The word of the Lord came through a man of God to Jeroboam, the King of the Northern Kingdom of Israel who led the people into idol worship. The man of God warned King Jeroboam about God’s displeasure and judgment on his priests and altars. Jeroboam rejected God’s message and “when the king heard the saying of the man of God, which he cried against the altar at Bethel, Jeroboam stretched out his hand from the altar, saying, “Seize him.” And his hand, which he stretched out against him, dried up, so that he could not draw it back to himself. The altar also was torn down, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign that the man of God had given by the word of the LORD” (1 Kings 13:4-5). Jeroboam committed one of the greatest sins, he did not only attempt to touch God’s anointed but he blatantly with impunity chose idol worship over God the creator of the universe and the Redeemer of Israel. Jeroboam’s abominable sin will go unpunished.

Dear friend, we serve a merciful God who does not delight in the destruction of the wicked. He desires repentance and forgiveness and not disobedience and destruction or death for humanity. For this reason when “the king said to the man of God, “Entreat now the favor of the LORD your God, and pray for me, that my hand may be restored to me.” … the man of God entreated the LORD, and the king’s hand was restored to him and became as it was before. (1 Kings 13:6). Although Jeroboam was God’s enemy because of his idol worship, God healed Jeroboam when he asked for forgiveness and healing. Beloved in the Lord God assures us that “if a wicked person turns away from all the sins they have committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, that person will surely live; they will not die. None of the offenses they have committed will be remembered against them. Because of the righteous things they have done, they will live. Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign LORD. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live? (Ezekiel 18:21-23)

The key lesson of our reflection is that, if God is able to forgive a rebellious or disobedient person like Jeroboam then we are all entreated to follow the perfect example of God to forgive our enemies. After all that Jesus’ enemies did to him to the point of death on the cross, He still taught us to say “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34). Dear friend, it is important to understand that “forgive your enemy is not” is not an absolute statement when it comes to our relationship with God, forgiveness from God is premised on repentance or showing remorse. it is for this reason John admonishes us that “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us. (1 John 1:8-10) In other words, human beings are to forgive their enemies because no one is righteous, however, when it comes to God, God is righteous, therefore, to receive His forgiveness through Jesus Christ, we must confess our sins and like the prodigal son, be willing to return to His gracious arms to live a life of purity or righteousness for His glory. We are again reminded by Peter that “As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:14-16). Shalom.

PRAYER

“‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’ Amen.(Matthew 6:9-13)