Rachel Whisman

While teaching the other day, one of my students from another class walked in holding a sheet of paper. The previous day, this child marked their day with misbehavior that led me to pray multiple times, “Lord, help me.” As he approached me, instead of growing resentment, excitement took its place. I was fairly confident from the look on his face what the content of this paper held and I just wanted to tell him, “Yes!” I waited though and when he reached me, he handed it to me, and I started reading it silently. Before I could finish, he gently looked me in the eyes while standing in front of his peers and eagerly asked me, “Ms.Whisman, may you please forgive me?” Standing there, I thought to myself how much boldness and bravery this youngster had. I returned the gesture, “Yes. I choose to forgive you, and I won’t bring it back up.” He replied with a warm, “Thank you,” and slipped out of the room with a grin on his face and a pep in his step. 

Watching him waltz out of the classroom, I was excited for him. He was forgiven. What struck me was the joy I had for him. What convicted me was how much I neglected to admire who our Father is and his character. If I enjoy seeing my student being forgiven, how much more does God enjoy this? 

God has a heart bent to redeem and release us from our bondage (Lam. 3:31-33) One that initiates and has a willingness motivated not by others, our works, or threats from the devil, but from himself. No one is causing or forcing him to forgive us, but in His own good will he choose to do so. If I was so ecstatic for my student to be forgiven, how much more would Christ be for me and for you to be forgiven? The eagerness to forgive that welled within my heart, was a faint but true pulse, knitted from the heart of Christ. “For freedom Christ has set us free” (Gal.5:1). If you are a believer, this is our Father’s motive to us. It is a love that should turn all our hearts to take joy in the forgiveness and freedom we have and turn and worship him because of it. 

“So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him…for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.”

Luke 15:20,22 NLT