Daily Devotional #1,761

I remember once hearing how Eskimos in the coldest areas of the north would get rid of wolves that were a  threat to them. As the story goes, they would take a razor sharp knife and dip it in the blood of a seal or some  other animal…and then let it freeze in the cold air. And then they would do it again and again. Eventually, this  knife became a “blood popsicle”. They would take this blood popsicle and firmly attach it to a stump with the blade sticking in the air. When no one was around, wolves would be attracted to the blood and would begin to  lick it. As they licked it, they apparently enjoyed the taste and the icy cold began to dull the nerves on the  tongue of the animal. If they hit the sharpened edge, they would eventually begin to cut their tongue on the  blade. And the story said that the wolf, tasting the blood would now taste the warm blood that was coming from  their numbed tongue and often they would find a wolf dead the next morning, who had died consuming his own  blood. When I think about that story, I’m reminded of what not being able to forgive does to us. In our anger or  resentment or just pain we hold on to that where we have been wronged. And without forgiveness, we don’t  punish anyone…we just end up consuming our lives. And what dies in us is real peace and joy and freedom.  Jesus talked about forgiveness and he said that if we will forgive those who have wronged us…our heavenly  Father will forgive us. But if we refuse to forgive others…that God will not forgive our sins. Why? Because  the magnitude of the forgiveness that God has poured out on us compared to the wrongs done to us is gigantic.  Often we don’t forgive because we want vengeance. God reminds us that he is a just God and he will dispense  justice…but that this is his right alone. So don’t let those who hurt you…continue to hurt you through your  own hunger to keep the pain alive. Trust God to forgive like he has forgiven you. And if you have not been  forgiven by him…do so. Be freed from the hold your sin has on you…and be free from the hold that others  have on you when you don’t forgive. It’s not easy, but God is offering freedom in both ways to all who want it.  But this offer only lasts while you last here on earth. Here’s our Bible verse for today…  
Matthew 6:14-15 NLT “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive  you. (15) But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.  
Remember I’m praying for you!  
With love, PJ