Forgiveness

FORWARD

During the years I was preparing for pastoral ministry an older Presbyterian minister said to me, "If ever you run out of something to preach on, preach on forgiveness." In nearly thirty years of pastoral ministry I have come to appreciate the wisdom of that observation.

Deep in the human heart is a profound longing to know the reality of God's forgiveness. Without it, our lives can be locked up in guilt and anger. Experiencing the reality of God's forgiveness brings a whole new orientation to life. We then face the challenge of extending this forgiveness to those who have wronged us. I have never found this easy.

I don't think I have met anyone who has. Yet this is the way of the cross. It is the path of true discipleship. In this excellent booklet Dick Tripp writes of the challenge of forgiveness. The story begins with one of the toughest challenges to forgiveness in the twentieth century, the scourge of Nazi Germany, and how sufferers should respond. In years past, I have been challenged by the remarkable story of Corrie Ten Boom, which Dick relates, and her struggle to forgive her Nazi captors.

The booklet has many outstanding stories of people who have learned to extend forgiveness. I was particularly impressed by the story of a 15-year-old facing execution in Batista's Cuba, who said to his mother, "Forgive them, or they will be the victors."

I would like to warmly commend this very helpful booklet on a most important topic.

Murray Robertson BA, BD, Senior Pastor, Spreydon Baptist Church, Christchurch