This morning I felt led to read from Luke 17, and just immediately knew the first verses I read were my reflection verses for the day. I would say that the verses are about faith and forgiveness being linked, although these verses are often taught about separately. Here are the verses - Luke 17:1-6 NIV:
[1] Jesus said to his disciples: “Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come. [2] It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble. [3] So watch yourselves.
“If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. [4] Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying 'I repent,' you must forgive them.”
[5] The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”
[6] He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you."
It is very interesting that I have been drawn back to these verses, as I have reflected upon them several times and commented on these verses multiple times. I just read through my different reflections and while each was related, each brought to light something different. Here are links to my past reflections:
https://amomentwithgod-srh.blogspot.com/2012/05/having-servant-attitude.html
https://amomentwithgod-srh.blogspot.com/2014/09/faith-and-forgiveness.html
https://amomentwithgod-srh.blogspot.com/2018/06/faith-forgiveness-and-mulberry-trees.html
https://amomentwithgod-srh.blogspot.com/2019/09/forgive-now-faith-now.html
https://amomentwithgod-srh.blogspot.com/2019/10/forgiveness-our-daily-work.html
https://amomentwithgod-srh.blogspot.com/2020/09/forgiveness-faith-and-freedom.html
So apparently this is my 7th reflection on these verses, that almost seems linked to verse 4 above! :-)
I would also note that each time the Lord has breathed on these verses with a slightly different reflection point, and I am sure today is no different. In the past I have focused on several things, but this morning, my first question was, "why the mulberry tree?"
In researching this topic, I came across something that I had not seen before, and that was the fact that there is a particular worm that feeds on the mulberry leaves, that early Fathers associated with the works of the evil one, for any mention of worms was associated with Hell, or final judgement. I don't know that I have ever read that note before. The other fact was that these particular trees are very deep rooted. As many of my reflections, and the reflections of others have noted, these mulberry trees are symbolic of deep seated, deep rooted offenses. Think of them as sins against you that are either so wounding or something that has been held onto so long that it seems to affect everything, and there seems no way to extend forgiveness now.
If we add to the above image or idea the fact that the leaves also host devouring worms, I think we capture a fairly complete description of someone who is eaten up by unforgiveness and bitterness, associated with a deep heart wound. I have had the opportunity to know a few different people that seem to never be able to forgive past offenses, and almost daily remind themselves of the wounds they have received, and the injustices that have been done to them. It is a terrible thing to experience, for they are almost unable to enjoy anything, for everything seems to remind them of something that has occurred in the past and the conversation always goes back to some offense. Its as if the worms of past offenses are actively eating anything that is good!
In the story above, Jesus takes the conversation from repeat offenses in a day to deep-seated offenses (Mulberry Tree) in answer to the disciples request for more faith. The good news is that Jesus, in describing the mulberry tree deep seated offenses, is saying that we can be healed of even these! There is hope for even the most bitter, the most wounded, the longest-held offenses, and it comes from trusting in Him, and faith in His salvation!
As I was writing that last bit, I had the thought that this deep-seated wound and bitterness and unforgiveness was actually like someone giving themselves cancer. Most cancers, allowed to grow untreated, will slowly infiltrate a person's whole body (Stage 4) and becomes almost impossible to get rid of. A person's whole life is affected, yet the Lord can heal even the worst cancers. In fact, just this morning Bill Johnson had posted about a woman with stage 4 cancer being completely healed! Here is the link: https://testimony.increase.global/185-bill-johnson-ministries/3880-stage-4-cancer-healed?fbclid=IwAR2Kd1yxNeS14OhFIPYTSDzCwVspKyPXgXZCLulbo71VRjCZwjscjMXZTdo
Yes, the Lord can and does heal even stage 4 pancreatic cancer. He can bring healing to our deepest wounds, those long-held offenses and unforgiveness. He desires that we are free from all that hinders us, from all that would steal our life, from all that would allow the enemy to feast upon our life!
Let us trust the Lord's word and believe that by forgiving someone in faith, through faith in Jesus' ability to bring healing and restoration, we can be set free and never deal with this again, for it has been cast into the sea, forever gone!
Oh Lord, help us and heal us!
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