A SCARY PRAYER
Matthew 18:23-35
“ ‘Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.’ ”
To illustrate forgiveness, Jesus told a parable of a master who demanded repayment of a large debt that his servant owed him (over three trillion dollars in today’s money). The servant begged the master for mercy lest he and his family be sold into slavery. The master had compassion and forgave the debt. But then the man turned around and demanded payment by a fellow servant who only owed him $3,200 (in today’s money). He would not forgive that small debt and threw the fellow servant into debtors prison. When the master heard what had happened, he called the his servant and said to him, “You wicked servant! I forgave you all the debt you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?” (vss. 23-33). I wonder if Paul had this parable in mind when we wrote, “bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you must also do” (Colossians 3:13). When I consider how much God has forgiven me of my sins, which were very great, how can I not forgive someone else for their offenses? It is a scary prayer that Jesus gave us: “Forgive us our trespasses as [or in the same way] we forgive those who trespass against us” (Matthew 6:12). Jesus went on to say, “If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:14-15). Forgiveness is serious business.
TODAY’S PRINCIPLE: We are to forgive people in the same way that God has forgiven us.
[end]
Have a forgiving day. Love you.
No comments:
Post a Comment