Be Steel My Beating Heart

“Why did Jesus make forgiveness such a strong command, even when human logic would tell you that ‘seven times a day’ is an impossible directive to follow?”  Beth Moore  Jesus

If you want, read Luke 17:3-4, and then answer the question on your own.  If not, read on for my response to the question.

Forgiveness keeps us from steeling/hardening our hearts.  We do not want our hearts to be impervious, impenetrable, or invulnerable.  This denies the very beauty of our being.  It seems I have read often over this last week that pain is a natural part of life.  The pain of the heart-of love-of being hurt by others.  “So, if he wanted the heights of joy, he must have, if he could find it, a great love.  But in the books again, great joy through love seemed always to go hand in hand with frightful pain.  Still, he thought, looking out across the meadow, still, the joy would be worth the pain—if, indeed, they went together.  If there were a choice—and he suspected there was—a choice between, on the one hand, the heights AND the depths and, on the other hand, some sort of safe, cautious middle way, he, for one, here and now chose the heights and the depths.”  Sheldon Vanauken  A Severe Mercy  Besides which, we take on God’s nature.  He loved and knew pain; He loves and knows pain.  May our hearts stay soft and fleshy; may we stay in heartbeat with our forgiving God!

kenny