Through His Eyes

| Sermon Thought by Racheeta Nayak |

1 Peter 4:8 says, "Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins".

Have you ever been betrayed by someone? Ever been hurt so much that it seems impossible to forgive ?

I HAVE .

For years I told myself that I could forgive anything but betrayal . To look at the one who hurt me in the eye with love and grace was a challenge until I realised that I wasn't looking THROUGH GOD's EYES.

Christ has set the standard of love and forgiveness at that cross. I know for sure that I am called to love and forgive in the most difficult time because He has done that for a wretched person like me.

Tears run down my cheeks every time I read about Hosea and Gomer in the Bible. Hosea did not just bring Gomer back home every time she was unfaithful to him but also paid the full bride price. It must have shattered his heart each time looking at the plight of his wife and yet his love for her did not fade away. This is How our God loves us.

You may wonder...how can I show grace to someone who betrays?

Galatians 2:20 says, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me".

So, now look at the one who hurt you THROUGH HIS (GOD's) EYES with compassion and grace because it's no longer you who live, but Christ who lives in you.

There is an abundance of peace and joy in the hearts of those who forgive. Satan knows this truth and so he whispers lies into our ear, making our hearts bitter but our purpose here on earth is way bigger than dealing with petty things like this.

Time is too precious to waste on hate, jealousy and malice. My classmate ended his life 2 years ago and in his last video he said "I have hurt people, The magnitude of my sin is so big that even God cannot forgive me so it's best for me to die". This broke my heart because he grew up in a Christian family. This is clearly Satan’s deception - he comes to steal, kill and destroy. Trust me, there is absolutely no sin God's love cannot overcome.

2 Corinthians 5:20 says, "Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God".

So love even when it hurts, forgive even when you think they don't deserve forgiveness, because you are the Child of a Heavenly Father whose love knows no bounds.