Forgiving The Forgotten



My elderly mother is a cat person. She loves all cats, all kinds, all sizes, even when they make that annoying purring sound. Now there was one cat that was her very favorite. This cat lived better than some humans did. As things usually go in this world, something usually comes along to upset the apple cart or in this case the cat cart. My mother, the cat-lover was living beside a cat-hater. Let me tell you these two types of people do not mix well. The cat-hater did all that was humanly possible to make the cat-lover's life miserable.

One Sunday afternoon that favorite cat of my mother's went outside never to return. We looked and looked. We called and called. The mean, deceitful, cat-hater had a kind, truthful grandaughter. She heard all of our kitty, kitty, kitty's and came to my mother's yard. The little blonde haired girl informed us that "papaw", here before referred to as the cat-hater, had taken the cat and let it out at Wal-Mart. You understand he didn't let the cat out to shop awhile. We never found the cat. Mother grieved for the cat. The cat-hater received his punishment from the court and moved away.

A couple of years went by and I forgot all about my feelings of disgust and bitterness for the cat-hater. Last Sunday guess who showed up for services at my church? No, not the cat-hater, but his wife did come. She was sitting back about four rows behind me. I left my seat, gave her a hug and sat down beside her. She smiled, breathed a sigh of relief, and seemed to feel at ease. I went to the altar that day and then returned to my seat. I told her I had forgotten the whole incident until I saw her. While I stood praying at the altar, I forgave her husband. I told her the Bible teaches us to forgive when we stand praying.

Mark 11:25 And when ye stand praying forgive if ye have ought against any.

I know when you forgive you have to forget. Now I have learned when you forget something and it comes back to your mind you have to forgive. It feels really great. Are there any people in your past that you had something against? It's been so long ago you have forgotten but have you forgiven? When it comes to mind again, may I suggest that you forgive? Not only will you feel great you will be following God's instructions.

Colossians 3:13 For bearing one another and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any even as Christ forgave, also do ye.

Ephesians 4:31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice. And be ye kind one to another tender hearted forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

Remember you must forgive to be forgiven.

Mark 11:26 If ye do not forgive one another neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your transgressions.

Forgive things today that you have forgotten needed forgiving. God forgives us daily for things we forget need forgiving. You know not only are our sins forgiven they are forgotten.

Jeremiah 31:34 I will forgive their inequity. I will remember their sin no more.


By Judy Parker
September 2003
















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