“And Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him and they wept.”  Genesis 33:4 

“Be not grieved or angry with yourselves that you sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life.”  Genesis 45:5 

“But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him…for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.”  Luke 15:20, 24 

The story of forgiveness is a story of great power. 

What Esau did, Jacob could not.

What Joseph did, the brothers could not.

What the father did, his son could not.

 The transgressee has a power to forgive the transgressor. 

Esau ran, embraced and wept with Jacob.

Joseph kissed his brethren and wept.

The father fell on his son’s neck and kissed him.
 

It was not in Jacob’s power to run to Esau.  Rather he walked and bowed seven times before Esau.  Esau’s forgiveness broke the chains of separation that Jacob’s actions had caused.  His forgiveness brought restoration to the family.  At Isaac’s death, Jacob and Esau were together burying their father. 

Joseph’s forgiveness brought food in a famine for his family.  His forgiveness for his brethren brought restoration for his father and safety for the house of Israel. 

The son could not run to his father.  He believed he was no more worthy to be called a son.  The father’s forgiveness was a power of deliverance to restore the son and break chains of his shame.  

My forgiveness delivers me.  To hold unforgiveness in your heart is a chain that follows you every day of your life to steal your joy and destroy your peace.  Forgiveness restores that peace and lets the wellspring of joy fill your life again. 

Forgiveness brings restoration for families and friends.  God has placed in our hand a great power…The power to forgive.  Use it wisely!