"FORGIVING THE FALLEN"

“These things happened to them as a warning to us. All this was
written in the Scriptures to teach us who live in these last days.” 
1 Cor.10:11

What is quite interesting about the Bible is that it was written so that
God can communicate with us. It is for our edification and instruction
and it also reveals stories to us of real life; stories of people good and
bad; stories of God’s people, when they are good and when they were
bad.  We read in Genesis 6:8 that “Noah found grace in the eyes of the
Lord.” For he was one that was obedient to the Law of God.
After the flood and as time went on, as he made a new life for himself
and his family he began to plant and he had beautiful grape vineyards.
In Bible days, the main drink of that time was grape juice. 

There was no soda or kool aid. They drank grape juice and at that time they referred to it as wine. At times however, they would not only drink it
straight after squeezing it but also let it sit a while so that it fermented
and became an intoxicating wine, which God spoke against in
scripture. (Prov.20:1 & 23:31, 1 Cor. 6:10) Many of us know about
how one day Noah drank the fermented wine, got drunk, and passed
out in the tent naked. His son Ham came in and made fun of him. He
then went and told his brothers Shem and Japheth. Shem and Japheth
didn’t find the humor in it at all and grabbed a blanket, closed their
eyes and covered him. 

When Noah woke up he knew what Ham had done. For this, Ham and his descendents were cursed while Shem and Japheth and their descendents were blessed.  First of all we must have a loving, caring, non judgment and forgiving spirit. As opposed to a gossiping, jesting and condemning spirit when it comes to wrongs that others have done. God’s people will make mistakes. Noah got drunk, King David committed adultery and then committed murder, Abraham had a lying problem and the list goes on with stories of God’s people who fell from grace from time to time. I am glad that the Bible shows the bad as well as the good.

Acts 3:19 says to repent and ask God to forgive us our sins and our
sins will be in deed blotted out. Jesus forgave Mary Magdalene, the
prostitute, and told her to go and sin no more.(John 8:11) Jesus came
to call sinners to repentance. (Matthew 9:13) Let’s not look at others and what they do. Look to Christ. When we see someone falling into temptation, let’s lift them up in prayer. Let’s love, Let’s forgive. Just as Christ forgives.        R. Denise Johnson