If you
forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are
retained.
Have you felt that warm breath on your neck
Have you heard, "Receive the Holy Spirit" whispered in your
ear?
Many of us feel we are too busy to stop and listen. Or the world is too
loud to hear.
Isn’t it funny how some of the noisiest people in the world –
children – are the most likely to hear the words of God. Little children are some of
the most forgiving people on the planet. They hold grudges only slightly longer than you
can hold their attention. How wonderful it would be if everyone had that childlike faith.
We can all hear the call and feel the whisper of the Spirit if we just
stop for a moment, listen to the words, and hear the breath.
Too often we lose that unconditional faith and lock ourselves in the
room we call Church for fear of those who may want to hurt us. This fear keeps us from
reaching out to those who need Christ the most. We don’t feel called and we
aren’t driven to reach out. Don’t be fooled. Christ has already breathed on you,
given you the Holy Spirit, and sent you forth.
Now comes the hard part. Whether you reach out or not, you must decide
to forgive their sins or to hold them. Think about what is being asked of you. "If
you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven." Within these guidelines, do we have
the right to withhold forgiveness? I would venture to say the answer is no.
So reach back in your life and forgive the unforgivable. Rekindle that
broken friendship and reach out to that person in need. Only through our forgiving will
others forgive us.
Dear Lord, help us to hear your voice and feel your breath. Lead
us out into the world to make your presence known. Guide us back to the unconditional
faith we had as children, and help us to forgive that which we thought we could never
forgive. Amen.
Bob Weaver
