Forgive

In the closing words of the Lord's Prayer, Jesus addressed the issue of forgiveness and highlighted the direct relationship between the forgiveness we extend and the forgiveness we receive. He states:
12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.
13 And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
14 "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. 

The forgiveness that we are able to experience from the Lord is related to our willingness to forgive. If we are harboring bitterness or anger or other negative emotions, then it inhibits our ability to walk in the forgiveness that God wants to give us. However, if we appropriate the love and power that Christ gives and walk in His ways, letting go of those harmful emotions, we can see Him work in incredible ways in our hearts and human relationships.

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The 4th chapter of the book of Ephesians offers practical and powerful truth for us, including the two closing verses:
31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.
32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.

Last fall, I featured a conversation on The Meeting House with the author of a book which was made into a feature film called, When We Last Spoke, which had a limited theatrical run. Her name is Marci Henna, and that movie debuted on UPtv on Easter Sunday.

It was nominated for "Best Christian Movie" in the Plugged In Movie Awards from Focus on the Family - the category that was won by I Still Believe in the eyes of the Plugged In Staff and Switched as chosen by the audience.  Interviews on all three of those films can be found in the Media Center at FaithRadio.org.

When We Last Spoke, according to Movieguide...

...follows two sisters named Juliet and Evangeline as children and 29 years later as adults. As adults, it’s been years since the sisters have spoken to one another. As children, Juliet and Evangeline had a lot of adjusting to do when their father goes off to fight in the Vietnam War. Their mother leaves them with her husband’s parents. Apparently, the mother couldn’t handle her adult responsibilities.

Plugged In states that Walt, the grandfather...

...tells his granddaughters to get ready for church on Sunday morning. Walt, Ruby and the girls often pray together and talk about what they’re thankful for. Walt and Ruby also teach Evangeline and Juliette about God and about the importance of forgiveness and kindness.

The review says, "The heart of the film is a sweet one that examines family dynamics, honor and respect as well as the painful difficulties and disappointments we face in life."

Well-known actor Corbin Bernsen plays the role of Walt. Movieguide states that Bernsen...

...said that one of the central themes in the movie is the power of forgiveness.

“One of the themes that is always recurring to me is forgiveness,” Bernsen told Movieguide®. “And certainly forgiveness that leads back to family.”

“I learned forgiveness a little bit later in life,” Bernsen explained. “The power of forgiveness, it is a wonderful tool that God gives us to relieve pain and burden.”

Bernsen went on to talk about the power of forgiveness: “Love conquers all, but forgiveness is just a powerful thing. It’s one [theme] that just rings through all the films that I make.” He calls for people to put aside division, saying, "I long for a day that I knew when I grew up, where we had our differences, but somehow we set them aside and still sat down at Easter Sunday dinner, we still gathered in the community.”

The destructive thoughts and emotions that we carry within can be overcome and removed by the power of the Holy Spirit.  But, we have to respond to His conviction and ask ourselves: Are we consumed by anger or devoted to reconciliation?  Left unchecked or dealt with insufficiently, our sinful desires will take us to a place that can harm us spiritually, emotionally, and even physically.

We need to experience the power of God's forgiveness.  Only through accepting what Christ did for us on the cross and the power of His resurrection can we experience the healing within and with others that God wants to bring about.  Forgiveness is a tremendously healing force, demonstrated by a Savior who gave up everything, even His earthly life, so that our sins can be forgiven.

The comments of actor Corbin Bernsen can propel us to teach and live values consistent with Scripture.  It's quite simple, really, but we struggle with living Biblically because it is counterintuitive to human nature.  We have to allow the Word of God to guide us and penetrate our hearts.