Demonstrating Grace / 宽恕
Dexu Xia
Demonstrating Grace
You will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea. Micah 7:19
Today's Scripture & Insight: Micah 7:18–20
“In moments where tragedy happens or even hurt, there are opportunities to demonstrate grace or to exact vengeance,” the recently bereaved man remarked. “I chose to demonstrate grace.” Pastor Erik Fitzgerald’s wife had been killed in a car accident caused by an exhausted firefighter who fell asleep while driving home, and legal prosecutors wanted to know whether he would seek the maximum sentence. The pastor chose to practice the forgiveness he often preached about. To the surprise of both him and the firefighter, the men eventually became friends.
Pastor Erik was living out of the grace he’d received from God, who’d forgiven him all of his sins. Through his actions he echoed the words of the prophet Micah, who praised God for pardoning sin and forgiving when we do wrong (Micah 7:18). The prophet uses wonderfully visual language to show just how far God goes in forgiving His people, saying that He will “tread our sins underfoot” and hurl our wrongdoings into the deep sea (v. 19). The firefighter received a gift of freedom that day, which brought him closer to God.
Whatever difficulty we face, we know that God reaches out to us with loving, open arms, welcoming us into His safe embrace. He “delights to show mercy” (v. 18). As we receive His love and grace, He gives us the strength to forgive those who hurt us—even as Pastor Erik did.
宽恕
将我们的罪孽踏在脚下，又将我们的一切罪投于深海。-弥迦书7章19节
刚刚痛失爱妻的艾力克牧师如此说：“无论是悲剧发生，还是经历创伤，都是宽容待人或进行报复的时机，而我选择宽容待人。”他的妻子在一场车祸中丧生，肇事者是一名因精疲力尽而开车睡着的消防员。当检察官询问艾力克是否寻求给予被告最高刑罚时，这位经常传讲宽恕真理的牧师，选择实践真理而饶恕对方。后来，他和那位消防员甚至成了朋友。
艾力克牧师活出他从上帝所领受的恩典，因上帝已赦免他一切的罪。他宽恕了那位消防员的举动，也呼应了先知弥迦赞美上帝的话。这位上帝赦免我们一切的罪孽，饶恕我们的过错（弥迦书7章18节）。弥迦用形象化的语言，具体地表达上帝对祂子民莫大的赦免，他说，上帝会“将我们的罪孽踏在脚下，又将我们一切的罪投于深海”（19节）。那位消防员因得到宽恕而免于被控告，使他愿意认识这位施行赦免的上帝。
无论我们面对何种困难，上帝都会慈爱地向我们张开双臂，欢迎我们投入祂平安的怀抱中。上帝“喜爱施恩”（18节）。当我们得着祂的爱与恩典时，祂也赐给我们力量，让我们能原谅那些伤害我们的人，就像艾力克牧师一样。
天父上帝，祢对我们的爱永不止息。
当我们回转归向祢，祢就乐意赦免我们。
求祢用爱充满我们，使我们能恩待那些伤害我们的人。
这位牧师宽恕对方的举动，对你有何启发？
你是否也需要原谅某人？若是，可以求上帝帮助你！