Forgive

And a very good morning to you!

It is Sunday morning, 1st November and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for the day.

1 John Chapter 4 and verse 21:

“And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.”

This is not negotiable. Remember when Jesus was dying on the cross, what did he say?

He said, “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they do.” Luke Chapter 23 and verse 34.

Maybe today there is a child who has so disappointed you and you are so angry with him or her and you feel you just cannot forgive them.

You have to, because Jesus said so.

That unfair business deal - that man who has let you down so badly, forgive him. Why? Because Jesus said so.

That broken relationship you have with your parents - go and sort that out. Why? Because Jesus said so. It is not even optional.

One of my friends, Sid, came to me one day and he said, “Angus, I want to tell you I like you” and I laughed and I said, “Ja, well, I hope you love me.”

And he said, “Ja, I have to love you. That is a commandment but I don’t have to like you, but I do like you.”

I remember my old dad, you know he was my hero, that blacksmith from Scotland, and sometimes when he was old, he was a chainsmoker and he ran out of cigarettes the one day.

He used to smoke all day long and he ran out of cigarettes one day and he said, “Angus, nip into town and get me a packet of cigarettes, please.”

And I said, “Yes dad, I will but I just have to calibrate this planting machine because we have got to get this maize in.”

And he got quite angry and eventually, I had to stop what I did - and I am so pleased I did - and jumped in the pickup and went into town to get him a packet of cigarettes.

I was so upset with him. “Dad, can’t you see if we don’t get this crop in we won’t even be able to live here.”

But I took those cigarettes to my dad.

And in the afternoon, The Holy Spirit would say to me, “You go up to the house and go and make peace with your dad.”

“Ja, but Lord, its not my fault!”

He said, “Forgive him.”

And I would go and sit up on the verandah with him and he would have his beer and I would have my coke.

How I miss those days.

I can’t wait to see him in Heaven and I am so pleased that I went to get that packet of cigarettes, not that I smoke myself.

We need to love one another.

It is so easy to forgive those that are not personal or close to you.

Its a hang of a lot harder to forgive those you love so much.

Have a wonderful Sunday and go and make up with that person who has offended you.

Maybe it is your wife, maybe it is your husband.

Do you know why? Because we don’t know how much longer we have here on earth.

Have a blessed day and remember, most of all, Jesus loves you.