Living in Forgiveness

Psalm 130

1 Out of the depths I cry to You, O LORD;
2 O Lord, hear my voice. Let Your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.
3 If You, O LORD, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?
4 But with You there is forgiveness; therefore You are feared.
5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in His word I put my hope.
6 My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning.
7 O Israel, put Your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is unfailing love and with Him is full redemption.
8 He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins.

It is hard to forgive yourself. We tend to live in regret. We have the propensity to live in the past. We are inclined to live not forgiving ourselves or for our blunders. Jonah was every much like that as we are.

He remembers the way it was back before the boat to the fish’s tummy. Before he went away from God’s plan for him. He found it really hard to live in the forgiveness that was already his.
We find it hard to live in the forgiveness we already have in the Lord as well!

Look at Jonah 3:10. “When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, He had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction He had threatened.”

God’s forgiveness is nothing like the forgiveness of humans. Again, we are liable to remember evil done against us. We are predisposed to hold on to the past.

Time to let go!
Time to let yourself be healed of the pain.
Healed of the sorrow.
Healed of the reminder of our past life away from the Lord.

We will get to our text soon, but first, let’s look at the problem Jonah had. He is displeased because WHY? Because God answers prayers. Strange reason to be bitter, but a real issue for some--for most. We are inclined to keep count.

In Matt 18, Jesus is asked an important question. They knew it was the right thing to do in forgiving people, but how many times do we need to forgive them before we can’t forgive them any more?

We are looking for a way to give then what they deserve. If the truth be know, they want to hurt them back. We want justice--but on our terms and not the same justice when it comes to our own lives with it’s disappointments. Jesus sees right into the heart of the matter and finds a place to touch-a God-Touch Place.

Chapter 18 deals with humbling one self like a little child in order to be the greatest in the Kingdom of God. (So much for the proud.) He speaks of the one sheep that took off from the herd and how the Good Shepherd went after it and brought it back. A real picture of the Lve of God toward us! Then the question of people who sin against you..then, this:

21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” 22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.”

Jesus then goes and tells a lengthy parable of the unmerciful servant. The whole idea of this parable was to point out that the huge debt he had was canceled but the man held onto a small debt owed him. He was unmerciful. Mercy was lacking in his life.

Is mercy lacking in your life?

Mercy was great to get but was not so great to give!

Sounds like our man Jonah! He was so thankful for the second chance on life after the experience in the stormy sea and from inside the fish. He was not to happy with what happened with the city that was at war with Israel. God forgave them. God’s compassion was great toward them and did not bring the destruction He had threatened them with.

Now Jonah was angry, yet he prayed. He not only prayed but he justified his anger with God. “This is why I disobeyed You” ...because of Your Character.

Gracious /
compassionate God /
Slow to anger /
abounding in love

Real positive traits of God and Jonah was angry about his God’s Character. Jonah also FORGETS that this same God was that way toward this evil city was the same toward him!

With God, there is no distinction? I am the same in His eyes as a pagan person? In truth, yes...and no. His love toward me as a Child of God is secure in His Son’s Blood over me but His love for the pagan is just as real. When He looks at me, He sees His Son: when He looks at someone who is not yet His Child, He sees a potential family member.

The God who relents from sending calamity… “therefore take my life away.” “Let me die!” “Better to die than to live!”

What is the meaning of LIFE?
If you have been forgiven, why throw your life away?

ILL: A train accident in the Osaka area a while ago. In the tangled mess of train cars, people were found...some alive, some injured, some without a scratch. One such man made the news last week. He was one of the survivors. Spent some time in the Hospital, overcoming some physical injuries and mental stress. Last week, he ended his life. He, who was spared death in that terrible accident, took his own life. Found it hard to handle why he was alive while others died. Now the families of the ones who died wonder, why did he get to live and then kill himself while our loved one was not given that same chance? Seemed unfair/sad!

Chapter 4:4 “‘But the Lord replied:’“Have you any right to be angry?”
“Do you have any right to say, KILL ME!?”

Was Jonah forgiving? Who did he hate? Not just the people and nation of Nineveh but also, God and himself. Not a really nice person to be around. All this hate and angry is unhealthy. It created in Jonah a desire for self-destructive. These types of feelings are somewhat common--even in small areas of our lives.

How many times have you said: “I don’t deserve this!” “Oh, no, not me! I am not good enough…” “I could just die.” “I wish I were dead.” “If I could just end this…”

Your feelings are real. Now, move from there.

Don’t dwell there.
Don't build a house there in that hate filled area of living.
See how God handled them with Jonah?

He was patient with Jonah. He is patient with you.

Please read the following passage and ask God for this kind of heart.
Joel 2:12-14
12 "Even now," declares the LORD, "return to Me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning." 13 Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and He relents from sending calamity. 14 Who knows? He may turn and have pity and leave behind a blessing— grain offerings and drink offerings for the LORD your God.

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Please go to www.gdopjapan.com for information on the next evening of Prayer on November 1. Those in the Tokyo area are encouraged to come to the GDOP 1/2 Year Check-In at the Seibi Kaikan in Higashi Kurume at 6:30-8:30 PM.