A Future with Forgiveness

Hi and welcome to this daily encouragement for my daily bread. Monica LaRose wrote today's reading and titled it the future with forgiveness in 1994 when South Africa made the transition from government by apartheid imposed racial segregation to a democracy, it faced the difficult question of how to address the crimes committed under apartheid. The countries leaders couldn't ignore the past, but merely imposing harsh punishments on the guilty risk deepening the country's wounds. As Desmond Tutu the first black Anglican Archbishop of South Africa explained in his book, no future without forgiveness, we could very well have had justice retribution of justice and how to South Africa lying in ashes through establishing the truth and reconciliation committee. The new democracy chose the difficult path of pursuing truth, justice and mercy that was guilty of crimes were offered a path to restoration if they were willing to confess their crimes and seek to make restitution. Only by courageously facing the truth in the country begin to find healing in a way, South Africa's dilemma mirrors the struggle we all face were called to pursue both justice and mercy. Mercy is often misunderstood to be a lack of accountability while pursuing justice can become distorted and pursuing revenge. Our only path forward is a love that not only hates what is evil also longs for the transformation and good of our neighbor through the power of Christ spirit, we can learn what it means to have a future. Overcoming evil with good.

Today if Our Daily Bread devotional Scripture reading is from Romans chapter 12 verses nine through 21. Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil, clean to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord's people who are in need practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you. Bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice mourn with those who mourn, live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.

Do not be conceited.

Do not repay anyone evil for evil.

Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone if it is possible as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written, it is mine to avenge, I will repay, says the Lord. On the contrary, if your enemy is hungry, feed him if he is thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this you will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Let's pray Lord of the pain of injustice is all around us and it seems we are drawn more toward revenge than mercy toward meeting injustice with injustice, which just compounds the problem. The Scriptures tell us that you desire justice that is marked by mercy and redemption help us to see injustice through your eyes and teach us your way of justice that leads to reconciliation and true healing. Thank you father it's in Jesus name that we pray. Amen. Today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread ministries