[Faith-talk] Good Night Message for Monday, October 29 2012

[Paul]

Well, praise God, we still have power, but over 103,000 households and businesses don't have it.  As long as we have it, you will receive good night messages.  For the rest of you not affected by this extraordinary weather phenomenon, I hope that your day went well, by God's matchless grace and His providential care, and that you in other parts of the world are doing well.

Sharon Conners graces our minds, thoughts, screen readers and Braille displays with her insightful article entitled "Forgive and Forget," rendered as follows:

In a recent conversation with a friend, we were discussing seniors who are in nursing homes and clinging to every bit of life that they have left.  Some of them are in such a state of neediness that they depend on others for the most basic of human functions, such as eating or getting to the bathroom.

My friend wondered what purpose God would have for a person to continue living like that.  Working part-time at a nursing home, I often wondered that myself, but being there day in and day out has been a learning experience for me. I see family members come and go, visiting with their loved ones.

I told my friend that maybe God was keeping the elderly person alive for the sake of a family member who needed to forgive his relative for some past hurt.  Or maybe the elderly person had not yet forgiven someone in his or her past.  God is patient and has a purpose for everything He does.

I have listened to both residents and family members express regrets and discuss unresolved issues from the past.  Many times throughout the Scriptures, we are told that God forgives our sins. He will not recall them again.

He did this for us through the life of His Son, Jesus Christ, and the blood shed for our sins.  As believers we are saved from our sins and promised eternity with God.

Humans can be a stubborn bunch.  From experience I know I cannot move forward unless I let go of the issues from my past.  What purpose could it possibly serve to hold on to a grudge against someone for something he said or did to us thirty years ago?

God's example of His forgiveness for us was shown through His only Son.  Are you willing to follow the example He gave us and forgive someone?

Sundays are an especially busy day for visits at the nursing home.  Is there a grandparent, parent, aunt or uncle that you have not seen in a while? Maybe he or she is in a nursing home.  Is there any past hurt you have held on to for many years?

Maybe it is time to spend a Sunday afternoon with that person and make peace.  Do not have great expectations for the other person's response.  You can make the first move to reconcile.

And there, ladies and gentlemen, is Sister Sharon's article about forgiving and forgetting.  I'm sure that some, if not many, of you probably are in the same predicament as others are.  No, I won't ask you to air them on these lists, but maybe if you haven't forgiven that person from your heart, especially if he or she is no longer alive, would be a good idea.  Just take the situation to the Lord.

And now may the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob just keep us safe, individually and collectively, throughout this night or day and especially in these last days in which we live.  Until tomorrow evening when, Lord willing another good night message will be presented, I remain, your Christian friend and brother, Paul