FORGIVE EVERYONE EVERYTHING? Absolutely Preposterous!

Forgive Everyone Everything? 

This slogan was recently engraved on the benches at a city park.  The joint efforts of the City of Mankato and the Dakota/Lakota Nation. And this declaration of unconditional forgiveness has caused some controversy, especially among the injured parties, dating back to offences in 1862. 

But it could not have been a better statement of the Father Heart of God, especially His heart regarding this current year 5775 September 25, 2014 through September 13, 2015 (on the Roman calendar) 

שמיטה‎ RELEASE

This is the seventh year or 'Shemitah' commanded by God in the bible. 

The sabbath year (shmita Hebrew: שמיטה‎, literally "release") also called the sabbatical year or sheviit (Hebrew: שביעית‎, literally "seventh") is the seventh year of the seven-year agricultural cycle mandated by the Torah for the Land of Israel,^[1] and still observed in contemporary Judaism.
During shmita, the land is left to lie fallow and all agricultural activity, including plowing, planting, pruning and harvesting, is forbidden by halakha (Jewish law). Other cultivation techniques (such as watering, fertilizing, weeding, spraying, trimming and mowing) may be performed as a preventative measure only, not to improve the growth of trees or other plants. Additionally, any fruits which grow of their own accord are deemed hefker (ownerless) and may be picked by anyone. A variety of laws also apply to the sale, consumption and disposal of shmita produce.

All debts, except those of foreigners, were to be remitted.^[2]Chapter 25 of the Book of Leviticus promises bountiful harvests to those who observe the shmita, and describes its observance as a test of religious faith. There is little notice of the observance of this year in Biblical history and it appears to have been much neglected.^{[3]     Wikipedia article}

This is God's chosen year to forgive all debts and for all people to return to their inheritance. Basically, for everyone to "forgive everyone for everything" they have done to injure or offend you in any way. 

18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. 21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

2 Corinthians 5: 18-21 

With that in mind it is our honor and privilege to host the Dakota 38+2 riders again this year in Mankato. I am hoping we will be joined this year by our brothers and sisters at Covenant Family, New Creation, and other congregations throughout our region. 

We need about 60 volunteers to help us serve two meals: 

Dec 25 - Christmas Day evening meal we need 30 volunteers from 4-8 pm to prepare and serve 250-300 people anticipated.  

Dec 26 - Day of Remembrance we need 30-35 volunteers from 10AM-2PM to prepare and serve 500+ expected visitors, coming to Mankato, some from South Africa and Sweden. 

If you would like to volunteer please comment on this post and tell me you want to be notified on the details and your name and e-mail address and we will get in touch.