Forgive Us, God

Comments About Song

BY WALTER FARQUHARSON

We often hurt ourselves and one another through insensitive actions. God declares this to be offensive behaviour. This song is a prayer to help children bring to God their feelings of alienation. It is a prayer of confession and a plea for forgiveness, beginning with thoughts of an individual nature, and ending with a more corporate petition (the refrain words change from “me” to “us”).

Many adults choose not to talk about the realities of alienation and fragmentation with children. Sin is very seldom mentioned in contemporary religious songs for children. Yet, by the time they reach their teenage years (if not before), some young people will have been or will be in serious crises in which they see themselves as unclean, unworthy, unacceptable human beings. Naive pictures adults perceive of untroubled, carefree childhood are not useful tools for coping or helping.

This song identifies sin in an inclusive way so that it isn’t specifically identified with the abuse of drugs or alcohol, sexual activity, or rebellion against parental and/or school authority. Sin is whatever rejects, or causes one to reject, one’s own worth as a person created in God’s image. It is whatever tramples over others or destroys their worth in their own eyes. Sin treats others as cheap, expendable, worthless. Sin misuses and abuses creation’s gifts. We identify and name sin in order to break its power over us.

Read the story of the woman condemned to die for her sin. Jesus asked who was without sin (John 8:1-11). Naming the particular type of sin isn’t necessarily important for children to be able to understand the story. The point was that the woman was powerless and without friends, and Jesus gave her another chance.

How often can we forgive? Peter was going to be generous. Jesus told him to quit keeping score. (Matthew 18:21-22)

…Jesus taught us how to pray: “Forgive our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.” (Matthew 6:7-15)

…Jesus told a story about a forgiving parent. (Luke 15:11-24)

…Jesus also told a story about a person who didn’t pass on the forgiveness that had been received. (Matthew 18:23-25)

Even though we forgive people, we may not be able to continue to live with them in family or community. An integral part of the forgiveness process may be ‘letting go’ and children may have a hard time understanding this concept.

Forgiving doesn’t mean putting oneself back into a position where the same mistreatment is likely to be repeated. Where family breakdown has occurred, children may need to know themselves as forgiven by people on both sides of the breakdown but, more likely, they will need help learning to forgive.

God offers a forgiving love and this song directs us to that love. God speaks to us through Jesus whose life was an example of offered and freeing forgiveness. We are drawn into a faith community that knows it lives by being forgiven and that practices lively and life-giving forgiveness.

Such forgiveness seeks to include those shut out and to free those who are trapped and imprisoned. Because we know ourselves as accepted, included, and liberated, we hope and work for the reconciliation and enabling of others. Freed from sin’s power, we live new lives of capability and creativity.