Florence Nightingale

THE NEED TO FORGIVE – AND FORGET!

(January 21, 2024) Robert McQuillan shares sincerely…

Don’t know about you, but in my early Sunday school days one the first things I was encouraged to memorise was The Lord’s Prayer.

In The Debt Trap Dr Richard Winter writes about Jesus teaching this prayer in Matthew 6:9-11, and  particularly highlights verses 14-15: ‘For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.’ He makes it very clear that not forgiving leads to being trapped by the emotional and spiritual debt of non-forgiveness.

I highly recommend you read Dr Richard’s article… especially if, like myself and others, you intend moving ahead in 2024 free from restraints that so easily waylay, a major one being not forgiving others who have offended us!

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PROBLEMS!

(September 24, 2022) Robert McQuillan shares a recent incident… er…problem.

Problem – situation, person, or thing that needs attention and needs to be dealt with or solved (Cambridge Dictionary).

A few weeks back I had a problem, to me a big problem!

Don’t exactly know how it happened, exactly what happened… but suddenly it had and I was rocked for a moment! Blood was flowing unstopped from the long slice in my middle right finger. No pain but unstoppable bleeding!

Peace
I had been feeling so relaxed after encouraging a friend on the phone. My mobile had buzzed when I upstairs about to change into my pyjamas and intending to return to Maureen to enjoy some old (Yes, those who know me have guessed it!) John Wayne DVD before retiring for the night. (No doubt Maureen would sighingly comment, ‘Not John Wayne… again.’ But, bless her, agree to watch).

Anyway, I took the call, sitting on the edge of the bed to relax as I listened to my friend’s concerns… and to drink from a cold glass of juice that I had with me, as our conversation went on.

I spent some time encouraging the caller, giving wise advice and counsel – and biblical explanations and examples. Then I prayed and he had felt becalmed and released and we’d said goodnight. And I stepped into the ensuite to place the now empty, heavy glass on the vanity bench top.

Panic
I was feeling quite at ease – maybe I was feeling too at ease with myself having been used by the Holy Spirit to help someone at a late hour and wasn’t watching what I was really doing– I don’t know. But suddenly I was aware of the noise of breaking glass – a resounding racket to me – and that I was only placing half a glass on the benchtop, that broken glass was ‘everywhere’ on the floor at my feet and blood was running from my finger!

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