Today's promise: God is always willing
to forgive us
How does your life
reflect God's forgiveness?
Brothers, listen! In
this man Jesus there is forgiveness of sins.
Acts 13:38 NLT
Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
Ephesians 4:32 NLT
Proclaiming God's forgiveness
Proclamation of the Good
News of God's forgiveness is what my Christian testimony is all about. That
includes forgiveness within my marriage. There is great testimony of God's
power when I forgive Teresa as He has forgiven me.
Nothing about myself
wants to forgive. It is only through the work of the Holy Spirit that I am able
to forgive. Forgiveness is a divine reality that I must first receive from my
Creator. Only then can the Spirit prompt me to share that forgiveness with
others.
I remember when God
humbled me with this truth through the words of Isaiah 53:4-6. Christ took on
my sickness of selfishness and price and carried my pain to the cross. Jesus
was pierced for my harsh words and snippy attitudes with my wife. He was
crushed by my "white lies" and subtle dishonesty. The Savior took on
the punishment for my years of neglecting my wife and forgetting my kids.
Because of Christ's
forgiveness, Teresa and I can proclaim that it is possible to live in harmony
with one another. We are grateful to be able to proclaim God's work in our
marriage, to be able to demonstrate to those around us that we don't go to
sleep with unforgiveness or bitterness in our hearts. This testimony has only
been possible through the divine provision of His forgiveness.
Adapted from The One Year® Book of Devotions for Couples by
David and Teresa Ferguson, Tyndale House Publishers (2004), entry for June 5
Content is derived
from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation and other publications of Tyndale
Publishing House
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