Forgiveness: Embracing Divine Compassion
"Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you."
- Colossians 3:12-13 (NIV)
“Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” That is a big assignment! In Paul’s wisdom, with direction from the Holy Spirit, he begins with a list of desirable actions and attitudes: kindness, gentleness, patience. OK, this is a palatable list. Then he increases the difficulty, instructing the reader to forgive grievances with someone else. Finally, Paul culminates with a reminder (and challenging commandment) to forgive as the Lord forgave us. This last section requires reflection: how did the Lord forgive me?
When I was far from God, He was pursuing me. My attitudes and actions were offensive to His very nature. Yet he sacrificially loved me, forgiving my transgressions. Wiping out my debt. Calling me a child of God.
Forgiveness is not merely a transaction; it is a transformation. It requires a deliberate choice to embody the qualities of Christ in our interactions with others. The gospel reminds us we are dearly loved by God, and out of that love, we are to extend forgiveness to those who may have wronged us.
In our relationships, forgiveness does not dismiss the pain or justify the offense; rather, it releases the grip of bitterness and resentment on our hearts. Just as the Lord forgave us, we are called to forgive others. It is a radical act of mercy that reflects the divine compassion we have received.
Let us, therefore, clothe ourselves in the attire of forgiveness, adorning our hearts with compassion and humility. As we navigate relationships, may our hearts be quick to forgive, allowing God's love to flow through us, redeeming brokenness, and exemplifying the transformative power of His grace.
------------
Heavenly Father, empower me to forgive others as You have forgiven me. Clothe me Your compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. May my life be a testimony to Your redemptive love in my own life. Amen.
ABOUT ROCKPOINTE CHURCH
RockPointe strives to provide a welcoming, family-friendly environment where people of all walks of life encounter the transforming power of a relationship with Jesus.
You will find RockPointe to be a place of imperfect, but genuine and authentic people seeking to glorify Jesus with their lives. Our hope is to point to the empowering grace of Jesus that transforms people to become impactful disciples for the kingdom of God.
The worship music is modern in style and highly gospel-centered in content. People are encouraged to passionately worship Jesus in “spirit and truth.” At RockPointe we value singing songs that are Christ-exalting and theologically rich.
We hold the Scriptures in high regard as the final authority in a person’s life. Messages at RockPointe are Christ-centered and will provide great insight as to what the Bible teaches about living your life for the glory of God. There is also a Family Room for parents to observe the services even while attending to their family needs.
Learn more about who we are here >>
