Making a Differencewith Pastor Phil Erickson

Apr 19th, 2024 Forgive

Today’s Passage – 1 Kings 8 – 9 (Click on the references to listen to the audio – Click here to view the passage from Blue Letter Bible)

(Second Milers also read – Mark 9 – 10; Proverbs 19; Psalms 91 – 95

Listen to this morning’s Scripture song –  Psalm 92:1 – 4

Read the “0419 Evening and Morning” devotion for today, by the late Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

Read a previous post from this passage – “When God Moves In.”

“And hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place: and hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place: and when thou hearest, forgive.” (1 Kings 8:30)

“Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them again unto the land which thou gavest unto their fathers.” (1 Kings 8:34)

“Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, that thou teach them the good way wherein they should walk, and give rain upon thy land, which thou hast given to thy people for an inheritance.” (1 Kings 8:36)

“Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men;)” (1 Kings 8:39)

“And forgive thy people that have sinned against thee, and all their transgressions wherein they have transgressed against thee, and give them compassion before them who carried them captive, that they may have compassion on them:” (1 Kings 8:50)

Did you notice all the references in 1 Kings 8 to the word “forgive?” Five times in this chapter, in Solomon’s prayer of dedication for the newly constructed Temple, he prays that God would forgive His people when they sin against Him. Solomon understands well the human heart and the tendency that people have of messing up and turning away from God, but he also knows of the compassion and mercy of the Lord who is quick to forgive those who turn to Him in repentance and faith.

This is exactly what Jesus prayed when He was on the Cross. He also knew well that people often do things, evil things that don’t make any sense, and they need God’s forgiveness. Of course, forgiveness could only be given because Jesus went to that Cross and paid for the sins of mankind through His atoning shed blood.

“34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.” (Luke 23:34)

Now here is the tough part. God expects us to forgive others who have wronged us, just as we expect God to forgive us. Just as we have our frequent moments of temporary insanity where we get away from God’s will and sin against Him, the people in our lives will also do things at times to hurt us. We must be willing to forgive them because God is willing to forgives us.

“4 And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.” (Luke 11:4)

“32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:32)