Release Somebody Today

‘Then Esau ran to meet him (Jacob) and embraced him, threw his arms around his neck and kissed him and they both wept,’ Gen. 33v4.

ORDINARILY, Esau had every reason to avenge all the wrongs done to him by his brother Jacob. Twice, Jacob took away what rightly belonged to him.

First was when he took his birthright as the first son because Esau was hungry and famished, Gen. 25:29-33. Second was when he took away his blessings from their father Isaac, Gen. 27:4. But here we see Esau a changed man. What must have happened?

The Bible was clear that Esau greeted his brother Jacob with a great hug. Imagine how difficult this must have been for a man, who had actually plotted his brother’s death once. According to the Bible, ‘from that time on, Esau hated Jacob because their father had given Jacob the blessing and Esau began to scheme; I will soon be mourning my father’s death, then I will kill my brother Jacob,’ Gen. 27v41. But time away from each other had allowed the bitter wounds to heal. With the passing of time, each brother was able to see that their relationship was more important than their real estate.

Esau put everything behind him, as no diary of wrongs was kept at this point. Yes, they hugged each other and wept. Such outpouring of emotion was a good sign that both had forgiven each other of whatever wrong that must have occurred before. As a child of God, are you truly willing to toe this line?

It is painful to see that today most children of God have problems. And sometimes, they find it difficult to let go or release somebody who must have deeply hurt them in one way or another. Every remembrance of wrongs suddenly throws up an emotion, which most times tend to put a question mark on our Christian living and relationships. We can still hear the apostle Peter asking the Saviour: ‘Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me, seven times? No, not seven times, Jesus replied but seventy times seven,’ Matt. 18:21-22.

Yes, the rabbis had taught that people should forgive those who offend them – but only three times. Peter, trying to be especially generous, asked Jesus if seven (the ‘perfect’ number) was enough times to forgive someone. But Jesus answered, ‘seventy times seven,’ meaning that we shouldn’t even keep track of how many times we forgive someone. We should always forgive those who are truly repentant, no matter how many times they ask.

Think again, as we have a work to do as believers whether to your husband, wife, children, mother-in-law, father-in-law, colleague or business associate who inadvertently may have wounded your ego. God’s word this morning to you is that you must release the offender because any attempt to hold it to yourself will wound the love of the Father, Who loved and forgave us in Christ. Remember, the Bible put it right: ‘while we were yet sinners, Jesus died for us,’ Rom. 5v8.

Therefore, it is somebody’s duty today to let go like Esau. May God give us the courage required to do so for His praise and glory in Jesus name, Amen.

Ven. Ernest Onuoha
Rector, Ibru International Ecumenical Centre,
Agbarha-Otor, Delta State.
www.ibrucentre.org