Being of German descent, Mom loved/made great German Chocolate cakes. And Dad, a Swede, prompted our love of scrumptious Swedish pancakes.
God tells us we pass on a legacy of spiritual “recipes” too.
As part of those recipes, we consider three Bible passages and contemplate a Forgiveness Drill.
First, “I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands (Or “to the thousandth generation”) of those who love me and keep my commandments.” (Exodus 20:5,6)
Similarly/majestically, “The LORD, the LORD, merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, (Or ‘to the thousandth generation’) forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.” (Ex 34: 6,7)
Friend, Jesus’ cross manifests the incarnation of God’s mercy and grace, His being slow to anger, His abounding love and faithfulness, His keeping steadfast love for thousands of generations but who will by no means clear the guilty!
God, costly spiritual cohorts accompany generations of Your forgiveness for God-lovers!
But, God-haters find Your punishment also persisting for generations.
Still, God Your redemption broadcasts a grand invitation: “O come to the altar/The Father’s arms are open wide/Forgiveness was bought with/The precious blood of Jesus Christ/Forgiveness was bought with/The precious blood.” (Elevation Worship, 2016)
As a result, Peter preached to a Jerusalem crowd: “This Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men…God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.’ Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’ Peter said to them, ‘Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2: 23, 36-38)
Friend, note, God’s forgiveness is inescapably linked to The Person. His Name is Jesus.
Loving Him, many ask, “God, how do we partner with You in ‘forgiving iniquity/transgression/sin but not clearing the guilty;’ those who “hate” the LORD?’”
We find one clue in Peter’s next declaration: “The promise (of Holy Spirit/forgiveness) is for you and for your children, for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” (Acts 2:39)
So, like Old Testament God-lovers, New Testament God-lovers find God’s promise of forgiveness includes many of their children. Not every descendant in a God-loving family may be forgiven. Still, Peter broadcasts: “Everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself” receives forgiveness. God, please call our children to be among those who love You too.
One way my wife and I discovered God’s calling for us and our children is the following Forgiveness Drill. Bear in mind eight steps.
- First, trouble starts. Augustine called our predilection to offend the “incurvatus in se.” We are curved inward, away from God and neighbor, toward ourselves. Selfishness disguised as self-fulfillment can breed lust, rebellion, and the idol of self. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked” (Jeremiah 17:9) Even children curve inward: “Folly is bound up in the heart of a child.” (Proverbs 22:15)
- When the offended person complained, we counselled: “Remember Proverbs 15:1: “A gentle answer turns away wrath.” Sometimes, “rebuking we rebuke.” (Leviticus 19:17) But, generally, we asked our kids simply to respond: “Please don’t;” thus interrupting the otherwise naturally escalating offense.
- Then the offended needed to be specific about how they were offended: “Please don’t: ____” (fill in the blank).
- Although the offender would often simply reply: “I’m sorry,” usually there was no real sorrow, especially in the heat of the moment. Friend, how could the offender tell the truth? We asked him/her instead to say: “Please forgive me;” and then specify the offense: “Please forgive me for ____”(fill in the blank).”
- At that point, the offended party could say, ”I forgive you.”
Jesus, You taught us: “If your brother sins, rebuke him, if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.” (Luke 17: 3,4)
And then life together could continue.
Or ponder another fruitful #5: The offended could test repentance with these words: “Will you do it again?”
- Then, instead of simply saying, “No,” the offender, acknowledging the condition of his/her heart, could reply: “I’ll try not too” – or, better: “With the Lord’s help, I’ll try not to.”
God of the Universe, what a wonder, including You in helping resolve a dispute between kids. Almighty would You humble Yourself in such a way? Jesus, the Romans called You: “Pontifex Maximus.” “Pont” is “bridge” (as in ‘pontoon’ bridge). “Fex” is “maker,” and we know that “Maximus” means “to the Max.” Jesus, in the midst of resolving our disputes, we humbly declare that there is no other bridge builder like You! In fact, You told us “Apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)
- As a result, the offended would ask: “Can I pray for you?” God, then he/she would ask You to give true repentance/forgiveness.
- Then came the declaration of forgiveness, “I forgive you” and a “glory hug” – where “glory” is “making visible what had been invisible,” a now renewed healthy connection between the two involved, forgiveness and reconciliation becoming real.
Friend, there’s more. Humbly, we discover all life requires such spiritual/relational training. God, somehow still, instead of perpetuating self-interests or being satisfied with mere transactional good-old-boy loyalty, by Your grace, we press on to Your Pearl of Great Price, the Trinity’s deep relational fidelity.
