In the late 1960’s in Battle Creek, Michigan, there was a very old doctor, Dr. F, who should have retired years before. If the patient had good hospitalization insurance, it was not unusual to see him sit on the side of that patient’s bed and ask, “How long would you like to stay in the hospital?” If the person replied, “Oh, probably another week,” he would write the order for another seven days. He was not only unprofessional, but he was quite eccentric.
Worse still was his ongoing and one-sided feud with the physical therapy department. Years before, Dr. F had been offended because one of the therapists, Miss H, had been unsure of something that he had ordered and asked him about it. He became angry that she had dared to question his authority. She was not questioning his authority at all but could not convince him of it.
When I worked in that place, I didn’t like the man at all and avoided him as much as possible. One day, something happened that convinced me that my opinion of him was right. A sweet, elderly patient of his had a stroke. It was evident to all, that she very much needed physical therapy, but because of his dislike of that one physical therapist, Dr. F refused to write an order for it. The poor woman had to lay in bed day after day without any hope of recovery. She soon became depressed and died. The nurses all agreed that her death was from hopelessness.
How often we are like that doctor and tend to think too highly of our self. How many times we, like him, hold a grudge against someone that becomes all consuming until we can no longer think rationally, and that grudge not only affects our self, it affects the lives of all around us.
Holding a grudge eats us from the inside. It becomes all-consuming until we can think of little else. It breaks our hold upon God Who commands, “Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him. Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.” Lev 19:17,18 Our Great Redeemer sees every situation in which we find ourself. If we have been wronged, He promises, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” ” Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.”
Rom 12:19; Ps 37:7-11
We have the duty to resist vengeful feelings and the privilege of trusting Him Who knows the end from the beginning and assures us, “Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.” Luke 12:6,7 Isaiah says of Him, “He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.” Isa 40:11
Think of it! We can trust Our Loving Saviour to take care of it all in such a way and at such a time as He sees is best. With loving, tender care our Dear Saviour gently leads us. He feels all of the wrong that is done against us, all of our heartaches, all of our cares. He will take care of it all in His own time, in His own way. “Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.” Ps 55:22
May we rest in His love and care, not avenging our self, but trusting Him to make all things right. May we always remember, “My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.” Ps 121:2,3 May we declare as did Paul, “this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Phil 3:13,14
Rose

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/rosesdevotional/~3/ETSi53cABNI/we-shall-judge-angels.html