Tag Archives: forgiveness

Forgiven

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The poem in the picture above is a Haiku. The simplicity of this Japanese poetic form has been an unexpected gift in my meditation and prayer time. It helps me clear my scattered thoughts and focus on a specific word of God’s Word and applying it to my life.

For me this is a deliberate act of submission. It helps me take a broad and powerful truth from God’s Word and make it into a focused, crystal clear declaration.

When I rise from my quiet time to go on with the pleasures and pressures of the day my focus remains on what God has said to me in this sweet moment of clarity.

If you would like to use this in your own quiet time here is an outline:

A Haiku is a powerful little poem that helps clear your mind. It follows a strict 3-line structure: 5 syllables, 7 syllables, 5 syllables. We use this structure as a spiritual filter to capture God’s truth, not our own thoughts.

5 Steps To Creating Your Own Haiku

1. 📖 Find the Core Truth

Begin by reading and meditating on Scripture.

  • Goal: Pinpoint the single most impactful truth, command, or revelation the Holy Spirit is highlighting to you right now. This is your foundation.
  • It’s not about your feelings; it’s about His Word.

2. 🔍 Distill to One Image

Take that spiritual truth and find one concrete image that represents it.

  • Goal: Give the abstract concept a visual form (e.g., ‘Grace’ becomes ‘shelter,’ ‘Forgiveness’ becomes ‘clean flowing water’).
  • Focus on the image that best clarifies God’s action or character.

3. 📝 Submit to the Structure

Using the 5-7-5 syllable constraint, draft your three lines.

  • Goal: Let the structure force you to select only the most precise, potent words.
  • This is an act of submission—letting the form strip away your own unnecessary words.

4. 🔗 Bring Clarity to the Message

Ensure the lines connect but also create a moment of insight in the third line.

  • Goal: The last line should offer the spiritual conclusion, application, or humble response to the truth presented in the first two lines.
  • The final line should point the meaning back to His glory.

5. ✨ Pray and Act

Read the final haiku aloud slowly. Do not over-edit it.

  • Goal: Use the finished poem as a concise prayer.
  • Commit to letting this truth guide your action as you move from meditation into the world.

Walking Wisely

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This verse is David’s earnest plea for God’s guidance. He wants every step he takes to be led by God’s Word. He is asking God to shield him from any and all kinds of sin.

Like David, is it your greatest desire to be in total harmony with God’s Word? I hope so and I hope these 3 steps will help you on that journey.

Step 1: Reflect on your own path. Are you following the path He has planned for you?

Step 2: Surrender completely and trust totally that He knows what He’s doing. Invite Him, whose wisdom surpasses all understanding to guide you in all you think, say, and do. (Philippians 4:7)

Step 3: In this battle against temptation and sin, we need to take up David’s battle cry, “Let no sin rule over me!” The victory is ours!

Take a moment now to meditate and pray. Allow the wisdom of Psalm 119:133 to permeate your soul. Let it guide and strengthen your resolve to walk single-mindedly in God’s Word and ways.

Sunday Psalms 7

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Psalm 7

LORD, protect me! I will hide in You from those who want to harm me, then, I will not be alone in this battle.

LORD, forgive me! If I have caused this or done something wrong ~~ Forgive me!

If I have harmed a friend or taken what is not mine mine ~~ Forgive me!

If I have done any of this then let the enemy win.

LORD, fight for me!

You are my judge and my shield. You save those whose heart is fully attached to Yours. Guide all of my ways, all of my days. Save my soul!

I have repented of my sins unlike those who refuse to think they have done anything wrong. You fight against those who are evil, wicked, unrepentant, and those who lie. They will fall into their own pit.

Your righteousness demands my thanks! I will praise Your name!

Sunday Psalms are the Psalms in my own words.  You can click on the Psalm number at the top to read it from the English Standard Version.

Forever Forgiving

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How often must I forgive?

Do you find yourself asking forgiveness for the same thing over and over? Do you find yourself forgiving the same thing in someone else over and over? That’s actually what this verse is about.

Peter asked Jesus how many times he had to forgive his brother and Jesus replied, “I tell you not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” Jesus was saying forgiveness is not a one-time thing. He wants us to forgive as many times as it takes.

We are to forgive just as God did and does. Over and over again!

Abba, Father, remind me of Your kind of forgiveness every time I’m tempted to be unforgiving. Give me a kind, compassionate, forgiving heart.

Sufficient Grace

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What is grace?

The very best way to answer this question is to search the Word. In doing that I found there is more to grace than the standard answer of ‘undeserved favor’.

Paul, the Apostle of Grace, uses the word 86 of the 131 times it’s used in the ESV of the Bible. It is used more than the word forgiveness. (109 times in the ESV.) To me that says it’s really an important concept.

As for underserved favor, it is certainly that. It is basically a free gift, from God, that we did nothing to deserve. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and his gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ. Romans 5:15 NLT

There is another part of grace that we don’t always think about. Grace is God’s power to change our ability to live an obedient life. Paul explains it really well in 2 Corinthians 9:8 – And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. This aspect of grace is not only about treating people better than they deserve (Yes, we’re supposed to do that, too.). It’s about the ability to accept practical help, from God, when we need it, to use for the purpose He has for our lives.

Think about His love, think about His goodness, think about His grace, that’s brought us through. (Click on the blue letters to link to Don Moen’s beautiful song.)

Abba, Merciful, Wonderful Savior, thank You for the gift of grace. Show us where You want us to do the work You have planned for us. Send us out to share Your undeserved favor.