A Little Practice

Although I know lots of otherwise useless hunting information, I do not hunt.  Just ask me about deer tags, salt licks, food plots, and wobbling decoys.  Any notion of being Mr. Bill’s hunting buddy was quickly squashed when he took me for shooting practice and I almost shot his hunting dog.  Gee, for a moment there, Mr. Bill lost all sense of humor!

 

God wants us to live free of the restraint of sin.  A commonly notorious thief of that freedom is unforgiveness.  Probably not a day passes we aren’t faced with the choice to forgive or not.  What about that driver that doesn’t obey the Yield sign, or that shopper that cuts in line, or the co-worker that talks behind your back?  Grrrrrrr!  Even worse are relationships which suffer because we decide we can “never forgive.”  When I was young I put out a rabbit box to catch a rabbit.  Imagine my horror the next morning when I found a possum instead!  Sure, we feel somewhat justified, even comfortable with our unforgiveness until roots of bitterness spring up, then nursing that grudge begins to feel like finding a mean-nasty possum instead of a soft-cuddly rabbit. Those born-again have already experienced God’s forgiveness and live in Its freedom (Ephesians 2:4).  The Prophet Isaiah wrote of our merciful Father,  “I am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake, and I will not remember your sins.”  (Isaiah 43:25)  See, our sin offended Holy God yet He offered forgiveness; thus, we must forgive others who offend us.  Now, unlike some “otherwise useless” information, this is The Truth of God’s Word as plain and simple as it gets.  My shooting practice lasted only a few hours; Mr. Bill felt it was just too risky.  Tough as it is, Christians are commanded to forgive and forgive, and it grows easier with time … it just takes a little practice!