Intimacy with Jesus in Forgiveness

How Do I Forgive?

My dad died in November of 1985, at 59 years old. He’d been a pretty big abuser of alcohol for most of his adult life. His dad was a mean drunk, who caused all kinds of problems in my dad’s family. I’m quite sure my dad drank excessively, to try the numb the pain of his own childhood. I’m quite sure my dad’s relationship with his dad was painful. There were never any words of reconciliation or forgiveness. I’m sure he’d wished for a very different kind of dad.

To my knowledge, my dad was never a churchgoer, nor did he have any kind of relationship with Jesus. However, he was as kind-hearted as anyone I’ve ever known. I wonder how things might have been very different in his life if he’d had an “intimate” relationship with Jesus? Let’s look at this level of true intimacy.

What is Intimacy with Jesus, anyway?  

It’s a closeness and genuine friendship with the living Christ.

1. It’s acceptance of Jesus all-in-all. He IS at the center of our lives. For in Him we live and move and have our being. (Acts 17:28)

2. It’s the most important relationship we humans can have with anyone.

3. We recognize who He is, and who we are.

4. Honesty, forthrightness, and confession of our sins are keys to this intimacy. He knows we cannot fool Him.

5. We rely on, depend on, and trust our Lord and Savior. Those who live in the shelter of the Highest will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. Psalm 91:1-2

6. We have fallen in love with Jesus, and have come to recognize the amazing love He has for us. It’s the greatest romance of our lives.

7. We are in fellowship with Jesus, and experience His presence all the time. “Nothing else in our lives compares to the simple pleasure of experiencing the presence of God.” (Tozer)

8. We Adore, Exalt, and Worship the name of Jesus. He is with us in all things. 

Here is a good quote from Bob Benson: “When life caves in, we do not need reasons, we need comfort. We do not need some answers, we need SOMEONE. Jesus does not come to us with an explanation--- He comes to us with His presence. 

Let’s look at some Scriptures, which may help us understand the importance of this Intimacy with Jesus:

• You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, and whose thoughts are fixed on you. (Isaiah 26:3)

• Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty, is divided between God and the world.(James 4:8)

• “For I know the plans I have for you”, says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

• Long ago the Lord said to Israel: “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.” (Jeremiah 31:3)

• But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins to cleanse us from all wickedness.(1 John1:9)

• Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:1-3)

• I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. (John 15:9-10)

• I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead! (Philippians 3:10-11)

In an INTIMATE relationship with Jesus, its as if He is saying:

“Come close to me in your struggles in forgiveness. I know what happened. I witnessed all the words and hurtful actions of others--- the sins of others that have injured you deeply. I weep when I see what humans do to other humans.

You recall that I had similar experiences in my own life on earth. Others simply “did not know Me, nor did they know what they were doing.”

_____, you are my daughter/son. I love you more than you can imagine. I desire to help you through all the pain of held grudges, resentments, and bitterness. Come to Me, to learn about true forgiveness. Will you accept my help today?”

For your consideration:

Forming an intimate relationship with Jesus can really help us move on from the pain of unforgiveness. In Mark 5:21-34, we see the story of a Bleeding Woman. She had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him through the crowd and touched his robe. For she thought to herself, “If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed”. Immediately, the bleeding stopped, and she could feel in her body that she had been healed of her terrible condition. Jesus realized that healing power had gone out of him, so he turned around in the crowd and asked,” Who touched my robe”? He later said: “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over.” 

As it relates to our own unforgiveness, wouldn’t it be wonderful to hear Jesus say to us: “Go in peace, your suffering is over.” Our faith and reliance on Jesus can make it happen.