Ezekiel 18:23 “’Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked,’ declares the Lord God, ‘rather than that he should turn from his ways and live?’”

JUST REPENT

Have you ever heard someone ask, “Why would a loving God send anyone to hell?” I have heard that too many times. I always explain that God does not send people to hell. They choose hell because of their refusal to bow before a Holy God. This verse backs that up. God desires that all men repent and turn to Him. He takes no “pleasure in the death of the wicked.”

So how do we turn the wicked towards God? We have to love them and tell them just how much God loves them. We have to forgive them. Yes, I said forgive them. Even when they do not “deserve” forgiveness, we are called to forgive. No one has ever hurt me as much as the people hurt Jesus, yet He forgave them all. What is stopping me?

TEACHING MOMENT

As parents, one of the hardest things we do is to teach our children to forgive others. It’s hard for us to forgive those who have hurt our children. But in order for us to teach them to forgive, we have to forgive. Forgiveness is something we cannot do on our own. We have to show our children that forgiveness only comes through God. We do not have the ability to forgive. Our nature is to “get even.”

If your child has not been hurt by someone yet, hang on. It’s coming. Don’t miss this opportunity to teach them forgiveness. Notice the verse says that God desires that even the WICKED turn to Him. We don’t encounter many truly wicked people. Thank the Lord for that! But we do run into people who are fleshly and mean. We have to show our children that, through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can forgive.

I have to be honest. Revenge is sweet! We all desire to “get back” at those who have hurt us. But I have learned that forgiveness is even sweeter. Better yet, it pleases the Father. Make His desire your desire. Forgive!