David A. DeLampert, Jr.
I’m going to do something a bit different for this week’s devotions. Some of this is based on my own personal need for a sense of peace during a continuously churning world. This also coincides with the John Noltner exhibit currently displayed at Easter’s Hill location. It is here through the month of February so I encourage you to check it out before it’s gone. PBN
Stop. John Noltner travels the country and asks people “what does peace mean to you.” Take a deep breath. So… what does peace mean to you?
Listen. Matthew 18:21-22 says “21 Then Peter came and said to him, ‘Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?’ 22 Jesus said to him, ‘Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.’”
Reflect. The quote shared by David A. DeLampert, Jr. for his portrait with Noltner says “people are so hard on each other, nitpicking and always looking for something wrong and wanting to put someone down. People don’t know how to forgive. That’s the one thing the world ain’t caught onto yet, forgiveness. We have a problem with forgiving each other so we gonna have a problem with being at peace with each other.”
DeLampert says the barrier to peace is forgiveness. Nitpicking. Keeping score. In Matthew 18 Peter offers the gift of forgiveness seven times. That’s already a lot, but if you’ve ever forgiven someone perhaps you know it takes more than once. Jesus offers even more—forgive someone seventy-seven times. Forgive them so many times you lose count. Perhaps forgiveness is a process that takes time and peace in relationships doesn’t come to us overnight.
We know in our relationship with God, God’s forgiveness given through Jesus Christ doesn’t just take time—it takes our whole lifetime. I give thanks that God doesn’t count or keep track.
Pray. Gracious God, forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Restore peace to our relationships with others and you through this gift of forgiveness. Amen.
Carry On. Are you experiencing peace today? If not, is forgiveness a barrier? Perhaps someone in your life needs your forgiveness. Perhaps you need to ask forgiveness. I pray that you can reach out to that person or those people and I pray that you get a glimpse of peace.