Matt5:38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 5:39 But I say to you, do not resist the evildoer. But whoever strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other to him as well. 5:40 And if someone wants to sue you and to take your tunic, give him your coat also. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to the one who asks you, and do not reject the one who wants to borrow from you.
This is one of my favourite verses in the Bible.
In Lev 24:19-20, it was stated that If a man inflicts an injury on his fellow citizen, just as he has done it must be done to him – fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth – just as he inflicts an injury on another person that same injury must be inflicted on him. This has been the basis of the law that we follow in most societies. However, don't we realise that after a while there will always be a cycle of revenge, hatred and pain if we follow this model.
When I was young, I loved to watch chinese swordfighting shows. Those where there would be lots of blood shed in the family, when the hero have to take revenge on the ones who kill his parents and vice-versa. Most of the time, the show would end up in tragedy till one side decides to give up on revenge. Only then will the vicious cycle be broken.
When I was reading this verse again on CNY, I was reminded of many issues in our family especially during New Year.
Most families would go visiting on CNY for both the mother's relatives and the father's relatives together. However, in our family, my mum have not visited my dad's parents or relatives for the past decade and vice-versa due to some misunderstandings that happened in the past which caused much hurt and pain to my mum.
Due to the inability to forgive my dad's mum(to avoid confusion), my mum forbides my sister from visiting my dad's mum who is already 86 years old. She have not seen my sister since the day she was born. My grandmother is already so old and she may be called to join the lord in heaven before she gets to see my sister.
A little background story here: When my mum's mum (just not to be confused with my dad's mum) passed away, my dad did not allow my elder brother to go to the funeral as he had studies the next day. My brother was in primary school at that time.
Thinking back, this may be the main reason why my mum was not willing to allow my sister to see my dad's mum. However, the one thing I do not understand is that why my mum is unwilling to forgive and let go after all these years.
I truely believe that the day my mum is able to release forgiveness to the family would be the day she would be able to accept Christ and vice-versa and leading to the healing of the family as an overall.I pray that my mum would be able to come down under the cross in the near future and comprehend the greatness of our God who is willing to sacrifice even his only son to redeem us, people who have persecuted Christ, denounced him and committed sins like adultery, murder, robbery, cheating...
In the Old Testament, any of the crimes would amount to death. But by sending his only son to die for us, he have redeemed us all. As God has so freely given us grace, we should show grace to others as well. I pray that my mum would be able to know our lord as the lord who has given us mercy.
Tit 3:4 But “when the kindness of God our Savior and his love for mankind appeared, 3:5 he saved us not by works of righteousness that we have done but on the basis of his mercy, through the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us in full measure through Jesus Christ our Savior. 3:7 And so, since we have been justified by his grace, we become heirs with the confident expectation of eternal life.”
The Lord did not save us because of what we do but because he so gave us mercy and he justified us by his grace so that we can become co-heirs of Christ, sons of God. I truely ask that the lord will be able to bring about healing in my family. I pray for healing not only for this generation but for my mother and my grandmother's generation which feuds have persisted for up to 30 years. For my prayers to be heard and victory be seen in my family, I believe that I should and must follow in the vision and just believe in the lord for complete healing.
As We step into the year of the Pig, I believe that this is the year of the victory. And to be more than conquerors in our lives and achieve miracles in our life, we must
Go Deep, Look Far, Ask Big.
1 comment:
Hey partner-in-christ, would like to say your blog entries are a blessing and speaks to me... I can testify that God brings healing into relationships as he has been doing in my family, so I hope this would be an encouragement to you that God wants to be in the centre of your family's relationship... And I'll start to pray for you everyday and we will see the victory God is going to have in your family, rooting for you, cheers ;)
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