Forgive 3

Genesis 33:2-4

How often have we fretted and worried about someone else’s anger? It can be so easy to begin expecting retribution, hostility, anger and upset from those people we have offended in some way. And then we find ourselves stewing over what type of punishment they will give to us.

Jacob was very concerned about the anger he expected from his brother Esau. Jacob had stolen from his brother and then gone off and become prosperous because of it. Now he had to return to his brother – a man with power and 400 men at his side. What was going to happen?

What did Jacob do to try to soften Esau’s mood? How did Esau react when he met with Jacob?

Not only can we begin to worry about how others think of us and the hostility they may have toward us, if we are at all spiritual and honest we should be just as concerned with how God might feel toward us. We are sinful and we have offended God in many ways. How should God treat us?

We might anticipate punishment from God, and punishment that is well deserved. We might believe that we have no right to be in the presence of God. We might be aware that we deserve nothing but anger from God.

But how does God react to us when we come to Him? Like Esau, God throws his arms around us and weeps with joy at our return. Like Esau God is able to forgive us and welcome us into His presence with love.

Now the question is, how shall we respond? Will we accept the forgiveness of God but be vengeful to those who have offended us?

The answer, of course, is that we need to be like Esau and like God. We must be willing to forgive all the offenses we have endured just as we have been forgiven. We must treat other people with the same warmth and generosity as Esau treated Jacob, and as God treats us.

DAILY CHALLENGE: Can you throw your arms around someone who has offended you and weep with joy at the reconciliation? What will it take to make that happen?