UNFORGIVENESS

Often in my dreams I am in search of a bathroom. In my search I entered a friends house and was somewhat embarassed. I found him asleep in his bedroom. He turned in his bed and greeted me. I noticed that on his head were spikes, like nails sticking up. I said to my friend, "why don't you remove those spikes. He was kind of offended that I would ask. "They may get infected" was his response. Whatever, I saw a long fuzzy quilt on the floor and I rolled it up and set it on a couch. My friend said, it has been a while since we have been together. Come set with me on the couch and we will share the blanket. It was good to see my friend. Why is it that we have not gotten together? I remembered that we had fellowshipped together in church until he got offended and he and his family left the church. I awoke and then I remembered that my good friend had died a few years ago. I then made a trip to the bathroom. I was thinking about those spikes on top of his head. Was this a picture of unforgiveness? My friend and I always got along, but somehow he had gotten offended. Do we have spiritual spikes on our heads? Like porcupines are we carrying the quills of unforgiveness? Joseph in the Bible is an example of a forgiving man. His brothers were jealous of him because their father favored him, They sold him as a slave and told their father that a beast had killed Joseph. God had shown favor to Joseph and he became second in command in Egpypt.

Gen 50:15  When Joseph's brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil that we did to him.” 

Gen 50:16  So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father gave this command before he died: 

Gen 50:17  ‘Say to Joseph, “Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you.”’ And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” Joseph wept when they spoke to him. 

Gen 50:18  His brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.” 

Gen 50:19  But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? 

Gen 50:20  As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. 

Gen 50:21  So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones.” Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them. 

Let us be forgiving people, like Joseph and the Lord Jesus who gave his life for sinners and is alive forever more. Come to Jesus and he will forgive you as he forgave me. All need to be forgiven.