| “If you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” |
| —Matthew 6:14 |
“How are we doing in the ‘forgiveness department’?” I often think about that question when I consider the reality that, through the Lord Jesus Christ, God has forgiven my sins. Even though I deserved eternal death for transgressing the holiness of God, His mercy, grace, and love have prevailed. He has redeemed me by paying a terrible price: the death of His Son on the cross.
In light of “so great a salvation,” how can we fail to forgive others? I know, I know: we feel that others do not understand how very deeply we have been hurt by their actions or by the words of certain individuals. Yet, since God has forgiven us, should we not forgive others?
Jesus shared these words that follow, found in Matthew 6:14, immediately after He taught His disciples the prayer we now call “The Lord’s Prayer” Remember, in the Lord’s Prayer we pray: “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” (If you prefer, feel free to substitute the words “sins” and “sin” for “trespasses” and “trespass.” Or, you may substitute the words “debts” for “trespasses” and this verse becomes: “Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.”) In any case, Jesus taught His disciples:
“If you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”
Every time we pray the Lord’s Prayer, we acknowledge that there is a relationship between our own forgiving spirit and the mercy, grace, and love that God has shown us through His forgiveness. We need to constantly consider: “How are we doing in the ‘forgiveness department’?”
As we begin a new day, let’s consider those against whom we continue to hold a grudge. We may feel that we have a very good reason for doing so. Yet, God has forgiven us for so much greater offenses than anyone could have committed against us. In many ways, the least we can do is have hearts willing to forgive. Then, when the one who has sinned against us seeks our forgiveness, we can quickly respond in the same way God responds to us: we can forgive.
Based on a blog originally posted on Thursday, September 21, 2017
