March 11: The Joy of Forgiveness
♫ Music:
Day 10 - Friday, March 11
Title: THE JOY OF FORGIVENESS
Scripture: Psalm 32
Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered.
Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity,
And in whose spirit there is no deceit.
When I kept silent, my bones grew old
Through my groaning all the day long.
For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me;
My vitality was turned into the drought of summer. Selah
I acknowledged my sin to You,
And my iniquity I have not hidden.
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”
And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah
For this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to You
In a time when You may be found;
Surely in a flood of great waters
They shall not come near him.
You are my hiding place;
You shall preserve me from trouble;
You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will guide you with My eye.
Do not be like the horse or like the mule,
Which have no understanding,
Which must be harnessed with bit and bridle,
Else they will not come near you.
Many sorrows shall be to the wicked;
But he who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him.
Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous;
And shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
easter
by Gerald Reilly
1.
and on the third day rose up a voice
a deep gutteral singing word
no dictionary could keep from flying
from tomb in ancient african soul
realms across the world to storyville flesh
parlors as wildest improvised sacred music—
2.
soon enough called american classical music
but always the voice
of ancestors was heard, what today chills flesh
and blood as heartbreaking jazz word
for freed slave when after death this soul
and its story is still whirling, flying—
3.
for jazz can send pain flying
like perfect jujitsu of the suffering heart, music
to survive by and rejoice in, like a soul
world where every soul has voice,
where the saddest word is made flesh
and ecstasy descends that knows no word—
4.
born from a common sex word
jazz became international holy word for notes flying
like spirits that flesh
no longer constrained from the larger music,
night music whose midnight voice
in deepest swoon overwhelmed the soul—
5.
chant their names and remember each soul
yet on this day lay down your word
with care: for each brilliant voice
must not be trapped on cd or tape from flying
into the night where every music
must reside after the flesh—
6.
and no single body of flesh
can unaided lay claim to so much soul,
as even satchmo, bird and miles were led to music
once as beautiful children and taught the word
love for their musical elders before flying
Upward to find their own inimitable voice—
7.
o lord let your singing word heal this mortal flesh
o lord send your son’s soul this easter flying
to meet our music, to answer every yearning voice—
FORGIVENESS
Two stuffed manila folders sat in front of me.
It was difficult not to stare at them. I had agreed to meet with a Christian couple having conflict. I asked them to come prepared to identify and discuss troublesome topics. Nothing prepared me for what they brought. Vicki and Thomas (names have been changed) arrived in separate cars and both walked into the restaurant carrying massive manila folders. Each of them had, over the years, separately compiled evidence to prove the other wrong. As each one described an issue, he or she would reach into a folder and produce supporting facts. The folders were stuffed with shopping receipts, phone records, photos, business vouchers, hastily scribbled notes, and even transcripts of secretly recorded conversations. I sat stunned. During our three-hour conversation I often thought of the proverb that states an “offended brother is like a fortified city” (Prov. 18:19). Each was offended and fortified.
After I said I needed to leave to teach a class, each followed me to my car trying to hurl a few more accusations. In frustration, I cut them off, “While reconciliation may not happen, as Christians you are commanded to forgive as Jesus forgave you. If you don’t, it will destroy you both from the inside out!”
My justification for giving such a frank warning comes from the passage we are considering today. The psalmist candidly states that when he kept “silent” about his transgressions his “bones grew old” as evidenced by a guttural “groan” that doesn’t show any sign of abating. He concludes, “my vitality was turned into the drought of summer.” The writer then adds, “Selah” which many commentators interpret as a call to pause. Translation: pause to consider what keeping silent about your sin will do to you.
For the sake of this Lent devotional, let’s consider the negative impact of refusing to forgive a fellow Christian as evidenced by this couple armed with manila folders. Could such a stance sap our vitality both spiritually and physically?
Everett Worthington, director of the Campaign for Forgiveness Research, argues that negative emotions associated with an unforgiving attitude compromise our immune system. Worthington and his research team have sought to help among others, mothers in Northern Ireland who have lost children to religious violence. His studies show that women who forgive these perpetrators of injustice report a reduction in symptoms of stress including severe headaches, backaches, and the release of negative emotions. Our refusal to forgive comes at great mental, physical and spiritual cost. Could it be that the physical aches and pains we experience on a regular basis are a residue of our refusal to forgive those closest to us regardless if they ever admit wrong, or ask for forgiveness?
The sculpture by Josefina de Vasconcellos entitled Reconciliation is deeply moving showing two people presumably forgiving each other as evidenced by an embrace. But, this depiction must come with a caution. Ultimately, our motivation for forgiving others cannot be primarily to restore a relationship. Sadly, reconciliation does not always follow the decision to forgive. And, in some cases—such as toxic relationships—the decision to forgive should not entail reconciliation with the abuser. Ultimately, our decision to forgive is born out of our fidelity to Christ.
To the believers at Ephesus, Paul unflinchingly tells them to forgive to the extent that Jesus has forgiven (Eph. 4:32). Period. How do I work up the emotional reserves to forgive when every fiber of me does not want to? The psalmist answers that only by reflecting on the reality that our transgressions—ugly as they are—have been utterly “forgiven” and our sins “covered” will we be able to pass on forgiveness. No doubt, the decision how to forgive will entail seeking out godly counsel and much discernment. However, when we do the result may be a surprising lessening of physical and emotional pain as noted by researchers, and we, like the psalmist, may find ourselves surrounded by mercy.
Prayer
This day, let us live out the Lord’s prayer where we are commanded to forgive debtors to the degree our own debts have been forgiven. This Lent season let the eyes of our hearts be enlightened to both the extent and cost of our divine forgiveness.
Amen
Tim Muehlhoff
Professor of Communication
Co-director of the Winsome Conviction Project
Biola University
For more information about the artwork, music, and poetry selected for this day, we have provided resources under the “About” tab located next to the “Devotional” tab.
About the Artwork:
Reconciliation
Josefina de Vasconcellos
1977
Bronze
Ruins of Coventry Cathedral
Coventry, West Midlands, England
In 1995, Coventry Cathedral received a copy of a statue by artist Josefina de Vasconcellos. Originally created in 1977 and then entitled Reunion, the work was originally presented to the University of Bradford's Peace Studies Department. After repairs on the sculpture were done, a bronze cast of the statue was presented to Coventry Cathedral in 1995, to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the end of World War II. It was presented to the cathedral under the new name Reconciliation, on de Vasconcellos’ ninetieth birthday. Similar copies are held at the Hiroshima Peace Park in Japan; at the Stormont Estate in Northern Ireland; and at the Chapel of Reconciliation in Berlin, Germany. De Vasconcellos said, "The sculpture was originally conceived in the aftermath of the War. Europe was in shock, people were stunned. I read in a newspaper about a woman who crossed Europe on foot to find her husband, and I was so moved that I made the sculpture. Then I thought that it wasn't only about the reunion of two people but hopefully a reunion of nations which had been fighting." Her work reminds us that in the face of destructive forces, it is hoped that human dignity and love will triumph over disaster and bring nations and people together in the spirit of respect, reconciliation, and peace.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reconciliation_(Josefina_de_Vasconcellos_sculpture)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josefina_de_Vasconcellos#/media/File:Reconciliation_by_Vasconcellos,_Coventry.jpg
About the Artist:
Josefina de Vasconcellos (1904–2005) was a gifted musician, composer, poet, dancer, and inventor. Known primarily as an English figurative sculptor with a strong religious faith, she worked in bronze, stone, wood, lead, and Perspex. She lived in Cumbria in northwest England much of her working life. Her most famous works include: Reconciliation (Coventry Cathedral), Holy Family (Liverpool Cathedral, Gloucester Cathedral), Mary and Child (St. Paul's Cathedral), and Nativity (at Christmas) at St. Martin-in-the-Fields (Trafalgar Square). She was a regular exhibitor at the Royal Academy, the Paris Salon, the Royal Society of British Sculptors, and the Society of Portrait Sculptors; she was a founder member of the last of these.
https://artuk.org/discover/artists/de-vasconcellos-josefina-19042005
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josefina_de_Vasconcellos
https://www.theguardian.com/news/2005/jul/21/guardianobituaries.artsobituaries
About the Music #1:
“Wilt Thou Forgive” from the album Viewed from Above: Musical Meditations on Sacred Texts
Lyrics #1:
Wilt thou forgive that sin where I begun,
Which was my sin, though it were done before?
Wilt thou forgive that sin, through which I run,
And do run still, though still I do deplore?
When thou hast done, thou hast not done,
For I have more.
Wilt thou forgive that sin which I have won
Others to sin, and made my sin their door?
Wilt thou forgive that sin which I did shun
A year or two, but wallow’d in, a score?
When thou hast done, thou hast not done,
For I have more.
I have a sin of fear, that when I have spun
My last thread, I shall perish on the shore;
But swear by thyself, that at my death thy Son
Shall shine as he shines now, and heretofore:
And, having done that, thou hast done;
I fear no more
Text: A Hymn to God the Father, by John Donne.
About the Performers #1:
Tom Jennings (piano), Louise Owen (violin), Patricia Davis (violin), Arthur Dibble (viola), Nathan Vickery (cello), and Michelle Jennings (vocals)
Michelle Jennings is a multitalented vocalist and actress who has appeared on the stage, in film, and in concert. A few of her favorite lead roles in opera and musical theater performances include Sweeney Todd, The Mikado, The Music Man, La Cenerentola, Die Fledermaus, La Boheme, and South Pacific. In 2021 she was seen in two short films, Here For Now and What Made You Who You Are; the opera film Freydis and Gudrid; and she also appeared in a solo concert for Kaufman Center’s Musical Storefronts. She is also a member of the comedic opera duo Divas Unleashed, who have written and performed their operatic comedy show, The Benefit, around the US. Enjoying a variety of genres on the concert stage and on recordings, Michelle has performed and recorded concerts of jazz, oratorio, musical revues, gospel and pop, television shows, commercials, studio recordings, and movie underscoring. In 2019, Michelle was honored to sing on a new musical recording produced by Tony award winner Nick Demos. Michelle has led worship in various churches for over thirty years as a song leader, and subsequently has presented workshops on song leading for worship in the US, Japan, and Europe. A public school music advocate, she lives in New York City with her husband, pianist- composer Tom Jennings, and their two kids.
www.Michelle-Jennings.com
About the Composer/Performer #1:
Pianist and composer Tom Jennings has performed with a wide array of artists in a career spanning more than thirty years. His latest albums, Sunday Jazz, Vol. 1: Quiet Time, and Sunday Jazz, Vol 2: Praise Service, are collections of original hymn arrangements, featuring some of New York’s top musicians. In 2020, Tom released Viewed from Above, an album of works for string quartet, piano, and soprano, featuring his wife Michelle Jennings. Hailed by the Boston Globe as a “highly attuned pianist,” Tom has accompanied opera luminaries Ben Heppner and Jerome Hines, and cabaret stars Steve Ross, Karen Akers, and Leslie Uggams. He has appeared on numerous artists’ recordings, including DeShannon Higa, Terry Silverlight, Gary Haase, Steve Sacks, Emily Drennan, Soo Bae, and many others. For twenty-six years, Tom has served with pastor Tim Keller as Music Director for Redeemer Presbyterian Church, and his innovative ministry with artists was profiled in publications such as Christianity Today, Worship Leader, and Charisma. Jennings holds a doctorate of musical arts in piano from Manhattan School of Music, where he studied with Constance Keene.
https://www.tomjenningsmusic.com/
Lyricist #1:
“Wilt Thou Forgive” is based on “A Hymn to God the Father,” a poem by John Donne.
“A Hymn to God the Father” is a poem by English poet and clergyman John Donne (1573–1631). It is considered one of his divine poems. The poem was originally set to music by Pelham Humfrey in the seventeenth century and posthumously published in Harmonia Sacra, Book 1 (1688). The poem starts with Donne asking God whether he will forgive the sins committed even before his birth, referring to the doctrine of original sin. That pardoned, he adds that God's task is not complete for there is more to be forgiven. He amplifies in the second stanza that in addition––there are the sins which tempted others to sin when they witnessed them; his sins of backsliding are also included. In the final stanza Donne accuses himself of the sin of fear that he will still be lost, unless God confirms his promise that his Son will shine upon him at his death. In the repeated line "When thou hast done, thou hast not done,” the poet puns upon his own surname. But in the third line, "thou hast don[n]e", he pledges his faith in the divine Redeemer.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Hymn_to_God_the_Father
About the Music #2:
“Psalm 32 - Blessed” from the album Remember
Lyrics #2:
Blessed are they whose sins have been forgiven,
Nothing more to hide, purged and purified.
Blessed are they whose crushing guilt has lifted,
Standing justified, blameless in His eyes.
[Chorus]
None can be more blessed than they
Whose sin the Lord has washed away,
Who rest within His favor,
In the mercy of the Savior.
Heavy is His hand upon the shoulders
Of the silent ones, hiding sin from God.
Yet when they cast off the secret cover
Every sin confessed, grief gives way to rest!
They can rest (4x)
Quickly, come and find a place of hiding!
You who are forgiv’n, shelter now in Him!
Stands the God of Grace ready now to save!
Mid the raging flood and rising waters
[Chorus]
None can be more blessed than they
More blessed than they
About the Performers #2:
Heather Schopf and Christa Mielke
Christa Mielke is a wife, mother of three, and a tour member for the musical group, Forever Be Sure (FBS). After graduating from Bible college in 2007 with a double major in Bible and vocal music, she married Daniel Mielke. He currently serves as the senior pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Austin, Minnesota. Christa has been actively involved in music ministry, discipleship, Bible studies, conference speaking, and traveling with the music group, Forever Be Sure (FBS).
http://www.fbcextravaganza.org/mrs-christa-mielke/
About the Composer #2:
Forever Be Sure Music’s (FBS) mission is to glorify God by composing, arranging, and performing message-based music with fresh, appropriate sounds that help God’s people accurately and passionately worship our Creator and Savior, Jesus Christ. Since their first album in 2008, their aim and desire has been to help fill an increasing void by providing beautiful music that will spark a connection with the generation of saints in our era.
Heather Schopf is a composer/arranger that works with Forever Be Sure Music (FBS). Over the years, Schopf’s developing skill and love of music led her to attend Bible college, earning her music and Bible degrees in 2003. In 2006, she began focusing and expanding her musical pursuits by composing and arranging vocal music. She finds joy in ministering to local churches while traveling with FBS or in her own congregation, Lighthouse Baptist Church of Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
https://foreverbesure.com/
https://foreverbesure.com/about-us/
About the Poet:
Gerald Reilly is an American poet who graduated from Yale and Brown University's writing programs. He has won a Henfield Foundation Grant, an award given to student writers of fiction in M.F.A. writing programs.
https://www.vqronline.org/green-room/green-room-winter-1997
About the Devotion Author:
Tim Muehlhoff
Professor of Communication
Co-director of the Winsome Conviction Project
Biola University
Tim Muehlhoff is a professor of communication at Biola University and co-director of the Winsome Conviction Project designed to reintroduce civility into our private and public disagreements. Tim is also an author whose latest book is Eyes to See: Finding God’s Common Grace in Unsettled Times (IVP).