OUR DAILY MANNA DAILY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: ARCHIE WILLIAMS: FORGIVENESS IS NOBLE AND DIVINE
BASIC SCRIPTURE: LUKE 6: 27-37
MESSAGE
For the past 2 days, our focal stories have been on Archie Williams, the man who lost about 37 years of his life in prison for a crime he knew nothing about. Speaking on America’s Got Talent (AGT), he said, “A 30-year-old white woman was raped and stabbed on January 4th.
I couldn’t believe it was really happening. I knew I was innocent. I didn’t commit a crime. But being a poor black kid, I didn’t have the ability to fight the state of Louisiana. In another interview he said, ” I always say life is how we feel it. When someone inflicts evil on you, its all about how we let it affect us mentally. I you harbour evil, it can destroy you.
That’s a scientific fact, right there. I never haboured evil-even when I knew the people that put me in prison knew that was innocent. I’m talking about from the top to the bottom, they knew. But I never allowed the evil spirit of it to live in my heart. All the times Archie appeared on AGT, he never expressed anger against his accusers, hate for the authorities who convicted him, or even bitterness about the injustice.
He said he had left the past behind him and had chosen rather to forgive. Someone wrote this about him, “Williams is not just free from prison, but he is free within”. Forgiveness is one of the sound doctrines of the Bible. It is a character of God. It is divine. God is a forgiver of sins. The Bible tells us that if God should count iniquities no one will stand. However, with Him there is forgiveness (Psalm 130: 3-4). You only hurt yourself the more when you do not forgive.
On the other hand, when you forgive the way God has done to us, you exhibit love and godliness. When you do it the way Archie did, you show forth nobility of character. Today’s scripture catalogues for us what our responses should be when we have been ill-treated. He says we should bless those who curse us, pray for those who despise you, give to those who are indigent, love your enemies and forgive so that you can be forgiven. Jesus did not even put a limit to how many times we can forgive.
Here is what someone wrote on forgiveness. “Forgiveness is a virtue of the righteous person, It is a mark of godliness. The greatest beneficiary of forgiveness is the person who forgives; forgiveness frees us from hate, from using, our energy to plot revenge, from constant and oppressive negativity. And ultimately from mental and physical illnesses.” I am aware that there are wives who have vowed not to forgive their husbands, and vice versa.
I am also aware of the same with neighbours, co-workers, businessmen/women, parents and children, and even sometimes, members of the same congregation. No matter how high the level of hurt, please for your own sake, make some room for forgiveness. That is the way to go.
ONLINE-“MORNING FIRE with Bishop Chris”- Today 6am (Nigeria time). Log on to these prophetic prayers-to-start-your-day, via our new official FACEBOOK PAGE OUR DAILY MANNA WORLDWIDE.” Start following that our new page now. IT WILL INCREASE YOUR PRAYER FIRE; PRAYERS THAT MAKE THINGS HAPPEN.
PRAYER POINTS:
Take your best song of worship as led.
1. Father, give me the grace to forgive (Mention names). Lord, have mercy on me and forgive my shortcomings in Jesus name.
ODM Today 6th October 2021 – ARCHIE WILLIAMS: FORGIVENESS IS NOBLE AND DIVINE