Day 11 | 40-Day Lenten Fast & Devotional

Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends. Proverbs 17:9

Good morning, good morning, grace and peace be unto all of you, my Father's children. It is in fact day number 11 in our 40 day Lenten devotional. And this week, our focus will be on that of forgiveness and repentance, forgiveness and repentance. So this morning, I wanted our scripture to be found in the area of Proverbs, the 17th chapter, starting at the ninth verse. I'm gonna read out of the New Living Translation, which is, a little bit different, but I like what it has to say as it relates to this piece, 17 and nine. "Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends." Flesh and blood didn't reveal that to you.

It's amazing that Solomon can speak in this instance directly to the reality and vicissitudes of life as it works with relationships. Relationships, friendships, be it marriages, it coworkers, whatever it is. The scripture says love prospers. That word prospers says it overcomes or if you will, if this were a battle to prosper, meaning that love would win. The challenge with love winning is that most of us get into conflict and our expectation is that we will win.

We will win the argument. We will win our point of view. We will win whatever we're trying to get across. We're gonna lead. We gonna let them know what they need to know so they can be forever understood. Because what is it? Because they did us wrong when a fault is forgiven. Because they messed up. Because they missed the mark. Because they weren't perfect. Because they made a decision which was undesirable and they did something to us. And so in turn, we need reciprocity, scripture says no. Love prospers when a fault is forgiven. The second clause, the but says, but dwelling on it, separates close friends. That a lack of forgiveness can literally cause not only separation, but could cause you also to lose the value in companionship, whether it be friendship relationship or otherwise. Now, somebody's saying, well, you know, that's fine. I don't need, all I need is God and God alone. That's not true. Christ put us on this earth to be relational. And inside of that, there are people that are designed to help to not only get you farther along your walk with Christ, but also to bring things to the table that make you better. And you miss out on the gifts that God has embedded in other people when you find yourself unable to forget.

I think the real mirror moment is recognizing that love prospers when a fault is forgiven and we automatically assume that the scripture is talking about someone doing us wrong. But everybody under the sound of my voice who's even listening to this has found themselves on the other side of this where you were the one at fault. You were the one that did something, and in turn, your expectation was-and your hope, and your prayer-was that somebody would look past your fault. Who will forgive you? In your mind, you would hope that love would prevail. Dwelling on it separates close friends. So whichever side of the coin you find yourself, the one at fault or the one who has been fault.

God calls us to the place to allow love to prosper. Love ought to win in all of our situations. Why? Because love won as it related to you. Because the one place I do know that you had fault, made out of getting against your friend, but you have had fault after fault after fault with him. And God still forgave your fault because the love that he showed on the cross prospered.

That's our word for us today. I pray that this has been enriching and uplifting. I can't wait to see you on tomorrow. Have an incredible Monday. Let's be intentional at nine thirty. I'll see you on Sunday morning. God willing and he delay his coming. If not, we're coming back next week but on today be encouraged. Have faith in him. He's got this. Have an incredible week.