"Anger makes you smaller, while forgiveness forces you to grow beyond what you were".
~Cherie Carter-Scott, "If Love Is a Game, These Are the Rules"
"God has done all this. He has restored our relationship with him through Christ, and has given us this ministry of restoring relationships." 2 Corinthians 5:18 (GW).
I had forgotten in the midst of the battles that I face to vocalize the creed to which I believe all children of God are called to…. Ozuyewicasta Hoka Hey. In the Lakota language, it means "Stand fast, warriors", and is what the Lakota warriors would shout as they launched themselves into battle. I believe that we are all warriors in the Army of God and called to battle in various arenas; be it physical, spiritual, or even mentally. We each have our weapons which we can turn to God's use, or devastate our own.
I was sermonizing on Philemon and I was frightened because of the subject matter….well, not really the subject matter but the "S" word that is prevalent throughout this brief letter from a Pharisaic Christian to an Asiatic Christian, and two different lifestyles. It was the "slavery" word that is the gist of this letter, Paul asking Philemon to forgive a runaway slave of his mistake since he was a convert. I have several African Americans in my congregation and more than enough Caucasians that hate that word, either through experience or through cultural awareness. But I wanted to touch upon how redemption was sought by both the person in question, Onesimus, and a brother in Christ, Paul. But, God has a way of bringing into sharp focus that which He would have me to understand.
A friend of mine, dear to my own heart, as Paul speaks of Onesimus being of his heart, has been facing severe trials and tribulations in their life lately. It seems the more they seek the Father's face, the more various aspects of their life comes into painful retrospection or struggling sorrow. And it never seems to cease, unlike it seems to my friend those various Biblical figures finally overcome their own.
And one person directly involved in the struggle my friend finds themselves in, came to them the other day asking how they could ever make up for the pain and sorrow caused. And how forgiveness could be given by my friend to them, so despicable was the sin against them. And my friend, struggling to keep their head above the water of despair, asked me for my opinion and assistance in this question.
And God brought Philemon up for my attention. Many of us find ourselves in Onesimus' position; facing a major problem due to our blindness or wrong choice. In a position of being unable to rewrite the mistake, take back what was lost, and finding ourselves facing devastating consequences if we turn ourselves over to those we've harmed for disposition. Philemon was well in his rights, as a citizen of Rome and a slave owner, to allow Onesimus to be turned over to the authorities to be sent to the mines or work details that usually killed the unfortunates that were so punished. It is even implied that there was more than just Onesimus leaving his slavery without his owner's permission but that he even stole something from Philemon. Not exactly what would make Philemon more amenable to forgiveness, as Paul was asking.
And Paul, despite letting Philemon know that he felt that he could demand (based on the shared Christian tenants they both shared) that Philemon forgive and release Onesimus from his slavery, left open for Philemon to do 'the right thing' in this regard. Forgive or Punish. Although Paul relied heavily on the shared Christian faith and his own personal relationship with Philemon, he did not demand.
And, as we can see by the verse in 2 Corinthians, Paul also showed the redemptive relationship we have in Jesus Christ, that should let Philemon to the 'right action' in Onesimus' regard. Restore the lost relationship, and as Paul says in Philemon, find that the person who is restored is in better shape than they ever were before. True redemption requires repentance and forgiveness, sometimes to the point of waiving the cost of compensation rightly due. Sometimes it takes another, who has seen or been involved with the person who shattered the relationship, to step forward and offer to pay the price for that person to the one they seek forgiveness from.
So, I told my friend this; In light of the forgiveness we received from our Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ His son, we have no choice but to forgive so that we can be worthy of the forgiveness given. But, to go further, we need to realize that redemption sometimes requires the act of forgiveness to be complete: including any compensation rightly deserved. Though the restoration process will be long and hard, it is the ultimate repayment of any indebtedness incurred and should be the ultimate goal.
We all have faced our slavery; either slavery of culture, experience, or viewpoint. We all need to seek the forgiveness of our debts to another and realize that we are indeed called to restore the relationships lost, as our Lord and Savior died on the cross to restore ours with the Father.
And instead of seeing the "s" word in Philemon, we should realize that the true word is "Servitude". Service to another regardless of our position or title, rank or financial status. Then, true slavery will never be able to raise its ugly head again on the American landscape.
I hope that I expressed this clearly as I did to my chapel congregation. I neither condone or accept the act of slavery, sorrow with my brothers and sisters of faith in the period of American history where it took place upon our shores, and seek to see that it never again is able to be something we face ever again. Neither do I believe that the Bible endorses slavery, indeed, in Philemon I think we see that Paul recognizes it as a societal problem and an unchristian one.
In peace,
Jim
Monday, November 26
Wednesday, November 21
GotQuestions.com devotional
a brief history of Thanksgiving - the original thanksgiving celebration was held by the Pilgrim settlers in Massachusetts during their second winter in America in December 1621. The first winter had killed 44 of the original 102 colonists. At one point their daily food ration was down to five kernels of corn apiece, but then an unexpected trading vessel arrived, swapping them beaver pelts for corn, providing for their severe need. The next summer’s crop brought hope, and Governor William Bradford decreed that December 13, 1621, be set aside as a day of feasting and prayer to show the gratitude of the colonists that they were still alive. These Pilgrims, seeking religious freedom and opportunity in America, gave thanks to God for His provision for them in helping them find 20 acres of cleared land, for the fact that there were no hostile Indians in that area, for their newfound religious freedom, and for God’s provision of an interpreter to the Indians in Squanto.
Along with the feasting and games involving the colonists and more than 80 friendly Indians (who added to the feast by bringing wild turkeys and venison), prayers, sermons, and songs of praise were important in the celebration. Three days were spent in feasting and prayer.
From that time forward, Thanksgiving has been celebrated as a day to give thanks to God for His gracious and sufficient provision. President Abraham Lincoln officially set aside the last Thursday of November, in 1863, “as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father.” In 1941, Congress ruled that after 1941, the fourth Thursday of November be observed as Thanksgiving Day and be a legal holiday.
Scripturally, you find things related to the issue of thanksgiving nearly from cover to cover. You find individuals offering up sacrifices out of gratitude in the book of Genesis. You find the Israelites singing a song of thanksgiving as they were delivered from Pharaoh's army after the crossing of the Red Sea (Exodus 15). Later, the Mosaic Law set aside three times each year when the Israelites were to gather together. All three of these times [Unleavened Bread (also called the Feast of the Passover) (Exodus 12:15-20), Harvest or Pentecost (Leviticus 23:15-21), and the Feast of Ingathering or Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:33-36)] involved remembering God’s provision and grace. Harvest and Tabernacles took place specifically in relation to God’s provision in the harvest of various fruit trees and crops. The book of Psalms is packed full of songs of thanksgiving, both for God’s grace to the Israelite people as a whole through His mighty deeds, as well as for His individual graces to each of us.
In the New Testament, there are repeated admonitions to give thanks to God. Thanksgiving is to always be a part of our prayers. Some of the most remembered passages on the giving of thanks are the following:
"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God" (Philippians 4:6).
"Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men" (1 Timothy 2:1).
It is also interesting to note that one of the charges brought against mankind universally is that, although we have an innate knowledge of God and of His provisions to us, we are unthankful (Romans 1:18-21). This is brought out in one pastor’s attempt in trying to illustrate the importance of sharing with those having less than we have. He had asked the children to come to the front and sit in the front pew on both sides of the church. Then he began to hand out a few M&M’s to the children on one side and none to the children on the other side. After doing so, he stood back and asked if they noticed anything wrong. One child, on the side having the candy, piped up, and indicating the child next to him, said, “Yeah, you gave him three, and you only gave me two!” So, too often, instead of noticing all that we have been given and being thankful for it and sharing it with others, we focus on what we don’t have instead.
Of all of God’s gifts, the greatest one He has given is the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ. On the cross of Calvary, Jesus paid our sin debt, so a holy and just Judge could forgive us our sins and give us eternal life as a free gift. This gift is available to those who will call on Christ to save them from their sin in simple but sincere faith (John 3:16; Romans 3:19-26; Romans 6:23; Romans 10:13; Ephesians 2:8-10). For this gift of His Son, meeting our greatest need, the Apostle Paul says, "Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!" (2 Corinthians 9:15).
We, like the Pilgrims, have a choice: in life there will always be those things that we can complain about (the Pilgrims had lost many loved ones), but there will also be much to be thankful for. As our society becomes increasingly secular, I am afraid that the actual “giving of thanks to God” during our annual Thanksgiving Holiday is being overlooked, leaving only the feasting. May God grant that He may find us grateful every day for all of His gifts, spiritual and material. God is good, and every good gift comes from Him (James 1:17). For those who know Christ, God also works everything together for good, even events we would not necessarily consider good (Romans 8:28-30). May He find us to be His grateful children.
Along with the feasting and games involving the colonists and more than 80 friendly Indians (who added to the feast by bringing wild turkeys and venison), prayers, sermons, and songs of praise were important in the celebration. Three days were spent in feasting and prayer.
From that time forward, Thanksgiving has been celebrated as a day to give thanks to God for His gracious and sufficient provision. President Abraham Lincoln officially set aside the last Thursday of November, in 1863, “as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father.” In 1941, Congress ruled that after 1941, the fourth Thursday of November be observed as Thanksgiving Day and be a legal holiday.
Scripturally, you find things related to the issue of thanksgiving nearly from cover to cover. You find individuals offering up sacrifices out of gratitude in the book of Genesis. You find the Israelites singing a song of thanksgiving as they were delivered from Pharaoh's army after the crossing of the Red Sea (Exodus 15). Later, the Mosaic Law set aside three times each year when the Israelites were to gather together. All three of these times [Unleavened Bread (also called the Feast of the Passover) (Exodus 12:15-20), Harvest or Pentecost (Leviticus 23:15-21), and the Feast of Ingathering or Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:33-36)] involved remembering God’s provision and grace. Harvest and Tabernacles took place specifically in relation to God’s provision in the harvest of various fruit trees and crops. The book of Psalms is packed full of songs of thanksgiving, both for God’s grace to the Israelite people as a whole through His mighty deeds, as well as for His individual graces to each of us.
In the New Testament, there are repeated admonitions to give thanks to God. Thanksgiving is to always be a part of our prayers. Some of the most remembered passages on the giving of thanks are the following:
"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God" (Philippians 4:6).
"Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men" (1 Timothy 2:1).
It is also interesting to note that one of the charges brought against mankind universally is that, although we have an innate knowledge of God and of His provisions to us, we are unthankful (Romans 1:18-21). This is brought out in one pastor’s attempt in trying to illustrate the importance of sharing with those having less than we have. He had asked the children to come to the front and sit in the front pew on both sides of the church. Then he began to hand out a few M&M’s to the children on one side and none to the children on the other side. After doing so, he stood back and asked if they noticed anything wrong. One child, on the side having the candy, piped up, and indicating the child next to him, said, “Yeah, you gave him three, and you only gave me two!” So, too often, instead of noticing all that we have been given and being thankful for it and sharing it with others, we focus on what we don’t have instead.
Of all of God’s gifts, the greatest one He has given is the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ. On the cross of Calvary, Jesus paid our sin debt, so a holy and just Judge could forgive us our sins and give us eternal life as a free gift. This gift is available to those who will call on Christ to save them from their sin in simple but sincere faith (John 3:16; Romans 3:19-26; Romans 6:23; Romans 10:13; Ephesians 2:8-10). For this gift of His Son, meeting our greatest need, the Apostle Paul says, "Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!" (2 Corinthians 9:15).
We, like the Pilgrims, have a choice: in life there will always be those things that we can complain about (the Pilgrims had lost many loved ones), but there will also be much to be thankful for. As our society becomes increasingly secular, I am afraid that the actual “giving of thanks to God” during our annual Thanksgiving Holiday is being overlooked, leaving only the feasting. May God grant that He may find us grateful every day for all of His gifts, spiritual and material. God is good, and every good gift comes from Him (James 1:17). For those who know Christ, God also works everything together for good, even events we would not necessarily consider good (Romans 8:28-30). May He find us to be His grateful children.
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