Lent Devotion 2.15.24

Psalm 25:5 - 7

5 Guide me in your truth and teach me,

    for you are God my Savior,

    and my hope is in you all day long.

6 Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love,

    for they are from of old.

7 Do not remember the sins of my youth

    and my rebellious ways;

according to your love remember me,

    for you, Lord, are good.

 

The Lutheran Hour spent a month focusing on the theme from a book, "Flowing from the Cross: The Six Facets of Forgiveness." (Daniel Paavola, Concordia University - Wisconsin, Theology Dept Chair, Copyright 2020, Concordia Publishing, St. Louis, Mo). Dr. Paavola, a professor, theologian, and practicing pastor, is also a wood-worker. To make the facets of forgiveness tangible, he constructed a wooden cube made from various woods available and native to the area in which he lives.

 

Forgiveness, as he points out, is the cornerstone of our faith, our relationship with God. In the first chapter, he refers to it as the "diamond in the engagement ring with God" (p. 2). The cross of Christ runs vertically and horizontally. The vertical axis is representative of man and God. We seek God, revere God, and go to God in times of need, both in thanksgiving and in supplication. The horizontal axis is our interaction with our fellow man. Christ speaks to this directly about these two important facets of relationships (God and man; man and man) as he teaches the Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6: "Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us." (v 12)

 

Forgiveness is learned because our hearts are stained with sin. The process of forgiveness was not necessary before the fall of man. We lived in harmony and in the presence of God and creation. Since the fall, we learn the process of forgiveness since it is not a natural act.

 

We begin this journey of Lent learning about the act of forgiveness. How do we go about setting our hearts and mind on forgiveness? Join me in prayer:

 

Heavenly Father, please help me recognize my sin and bring it to you. Help me to unburden myself by leaving my sin at the foot of your cross. Please help me forgive others and I ask that you help others forgive me when I sin against them. All this I bring to you in your Son's name, whose precious blood was spilled in order for our forgiveness to be assured. Amen

 

Hope Men's Ministry is a ministry in service to Hope Lutheran Church and School. Our purpose is to grow, unite, and share God's Word to all men through meaningful activities. These activities center on fellowship, service, conversation, prayer, study and devotion as we seek to become men of God as He created us to be.