I read many stories of forgiveness that results in reconciliation….  But in reality, forgiveness is often one sided.  Forgiveness is messy.  Jesus spoke on the cross, “Father forgive them, they know not what they do.” And they crucified him anyway.  Sometimes a person hurts you and they don’t even know it, or they blame you, or they don’t care.  Sometimes you can’t forgive yourself.  Sometimes, you are harder on yourself than God is…
 
Today we continue with the imperfect family of Jesus ~ character studies from Jesus’ family tree in Matthew 1.  Today King Manasseh.  Manasseh is the son of Hezekiah, the King Chad preached about last Sunday.   Manasseh was king for 55 years.  As we study Manasseh there is a wrinkle that is hard to reconcile.  He is considered to be one of the most evil of all kings, yet towards the end of his life he gives his heart to God.  The story of Manasseh is a story of messy forgiveness.  What I mean by that is that the forgiveness and transformation is real ~ Manasseh really does become a God follower, but on earth the damage is so profound of the sinful life that the damage cannot be undone. Messy forgiveness is when God forgives you, but the consequences of the sinful life is so profound it’s hard for the living to let the past go.  Messy forgiveness takes place when you desperately want to forgive somebody, but the person who has hurt you wants nothing to do with you.  A disconnect.  Or maybe it’s the parent that abused the child and the parent has now died.  Messy forgiveness is when you want to forgive the other person but they are not cooperating. 

​Why do some people run to the Lord Jesus Christ in times of crisis, while others run away from Him?  This week I spent time with two people who were living on the streets.  Not exactly the same because one a way of life the other temporary. 

• The first young man has major struggles.  He was raised in a Christian home and spiritually is  fluctuating between bitterness against God and uncertainty if God  really exists.  Major struggles…. I can only pray for him because in the end he refused help….
• The other young man, Elton, was a delight.  Ivan and Anne Oakes were honored to host him their home one night.  He is 27, born to an alcoholic mother, raised in a foster home and is the primary care giver for his ailing foster mother because he is so grateful. (what a powerful story of the difference a foster parent can make).  Elton is committed to the Lord Jesus Christ. Several of us got to hear his story at the Coffee Hour on Wed. and the Thurs Bible Study… he works with youth on the Yakima Reservation.  He has a passion for Christ and showing others the better way, that you can be a member of the Yakima nation and a Christian.  He got stuck in Sumas a few days because he was on a road trip with friends to visit other friends in Canada and he did not have proper documentation to get into Canada ~ he chose our church ramp to get out of the wind while he waited for them to return.  I enjoyed so much spending a part of three days with him….

Why do some people rise above their circumstances and embrace Christ and other reject him in times of trouble?  Only God knows the heart.  

Most people become Christians during a crisis.  Growing in faith is often in response to a crisis.  A Crisis is any life changing event.  Life is more about change/crisis than it is stability.  We are constantly facing changes/crisis.  Yet we cling to that which we know!

How you respond to crisis determines your character/spiritual depth.

The day after Christmas I got a phone call from a friend who wanted to know all about my new twin grandkids, Sally, Christmas… she was chatty.  In the time surrounding his death, my friend was in a dark place.  She was lost.  She could not think.  I received many late night phone calls asking for prayer; she was feeling oppressed. Then BOOM! something changed.  Mother’s day last year she felt a peace she hadn’t felt in years, God was telling her to choose life and living over death and confusion.  It was like putting on glasses for the first time and suddenly seeing details you never knew existed…

The day after Christmas, as the conversation wound down, she said matter of factly, “My husband died a year ago today.”  Aha, that’s why she called…. I thought of the contrast of what her phone calls used to be like compared to what they were now.  She spoke of faith, of missing her husband, but knowing all is well.  She spoke with confidence of her life situation and her life journey. 

Sometimes it takes time to make it through a crisis, but for those who trust in God and believe in his promises, there is the promise of a new day, a new life, a new mind, a new strength, a new heart.  God will always find a way for those that trust him!