FORGIVING AS WE HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN

Jesus said that the greatest commandment is to love God with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind. And the second is like it, to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. When we accepted Jesus as Lord and Saviour, God forgave all our sins.  Through prayer and reading the scriptures, we began a loving relationship with our Heavenly Father and our hearts were filled with thanks for all that He has done for us.

Then he (Jesus) took a cup, gave thanks to God, and gave it to them. “Drink it, all of you,” he said; “this is my blood, which seals God's covenant, my blood poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. (Matthew 26:27-28 GNT)

We know about God’s great love for us and our love for Him, but how do we feel about loving our neighbour, especially a person who has harmed us?  Jesus told a story about an unforgiving servant to teach us that we are to forgive others as we have been forgiven. The story is about a servant who was unable to pay the huge debt he owed to the king.  The king generously forgave the debt.  The forgiven servant went out and met a fellow servant who owed him a small debt in comparison.  The forgiven servant was unwilling to forgive the debt of his fellow servant and had him put in prison until he could pay. The king was not happy when he heard this and had the unforgiving servant put in prison where he was turned over to the torturers.

And Jesus concluded, “That is how my Father in heaven will treat every one of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.”  (Matthew 18:35 GNT)

God’s generous love for us is the reason Jesus came into the world to pay our sin debt and restore our relationship with God. Jesus taught us to pray and ask God to forgive our debts as we forgive our debtors. If we are unwilling to forgive our debtors, how can we pray this prayer and expect God to forgive us? 

And when you stand and pray, forgive anything you may have against anyone, so that your Father in heaven will forgive the wrongs you have done. (Mark 11:25 GNT)

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I confess that I struggle to forgive those who have harmed me.  Please fill me with Your love and grace so I can forgive as I have been forgiven by You. Amen