During the Lenten season, members of Faith Lutheran Church have written our daily devotions. Today’s writer is Rachael White.
24Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die; but God will surely come to you, and bring you up out of this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” 25So Joseph made the Israelites swear, saying, “When God comes to you, you shall carry up my bones from here.” 26And Joseph died, being one hundred ten years old; he was embalmed and placed in a coffin in Egypt. Genesis 50:24-26
Genesis begins with life and ends with death. Joseph’s life was filled with adversity yet his humility, wisdom, sympathy courage, patience and generosity allowed him to forgive. God dominated his life; it was the secret for all he did. It was his simple trust in God that enabled him to be what he was and did what he did. Joseph had faith in God. He passed this faith on through his forgiveness and love for his family that lasted a lifetime. In the end he said I die, but God will be with you-God remains.
All of us have been betrayed or been the betrayer. We can forgive or ask to be forgiven, but only God can help us to forgive completely. There comes a time in our lives that we have been so hurt that true forgiveness is unattainable without asking for God’s love and guidance to show us how.
Until recently, I did not have the faith I needed to understand what forgiveness felt like, I prayed for God to help me forgive others and to forgive me of my sins. Yes, I had to admit my role in what I saw as wrongs done against me. Slowly, as each day passes my resentments, guilt and self-pity that have literary been eating away at me for the last 15 years have begun to fade. God has intended everything that has happened in my life, good and bad, to show me that I must trust him and have faith in him to endure the trials that lay ahead.
Let us pray: Lord, thank you that you intend everything that happens to us for our good. Give me the strength to live that out; to live, to grow, to love and to show others what you have taught me in hard times. Amen
Daily Devotions 
March 7, 2014 at 6:21 pm |
Thank you for your testimony, Rachael. His love endures forever. It is probably hardest to forgive ourselves than to forgive others.
March 8, 2014 at 12:54 am |
“And forgive us our trespasses (transgressions) as we forgive those who trespass (transgress) against us.”
It is often difficult to forgive and let go of resentments, hurts, and disappointments.
Help me Lord to forgive, as you have forgiven me my sins.
March 8, 2014 at 4:17 am |
I feel you have hit on one of THE most important principles of really living out the “Christ life!” I am up in years now and I have realized that to NOT forgive is more detrimental to ME than to the perpetrator of wrong against me.Forgiving is freeing myself from that one person who has cut me to the core! I’m sure Jesus felt the same! But only HE can give us the power to do that!