July 8, 2014
Few things are as challenging as overcoming past wrongs done to us. Forgive and forget, as the saying goes. Better still, remember and still forgive.
“Then Peter came and said to Him, ‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.’ ” (Matthew 18.21-22)
Forgiving seven wrongs seems abundantly generous. But, it seems minuscule in comparison to four hundred and ninety times. The forgiveness ratio is comparable to the mercy and grace extended to us by our heavenly Father, as illustrated in the parable that follows in this passage. A slave owed a great debt to his master, and, being unable to pay, begged for, and received mercy (Matthew 18.23-27). Released from his burden of debt, he encountered a fellow slave who owed a relatively minuscule debt to him. Rather than “paying forward” the generous forgiveness shown him, he demanded retribution (Matthew 18.28-30). The result was that his master withdrew his generous forgiveness and demanded exacting restitution of his debt. The lesson? “My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.” (Matthew 18.35)
A single wrong can be an overwhelming incident to overcome. Seven wrongs, and up to four hundred and ninety wrongs, is a pattern of abuse. And, I’m certain that there are those of you reading who have known the extreme pain of repeated abuse. For you, forgiveness is indescribably difficult. Deep emotional and spiritual wounds have resulted, and genuine forgiveness would seem to offer little remedy for scars that remain. But, regardless of the level of pain and hurt, the challenge before each of us is the same: “forgive (your) brother from your heart.” He who spoke these words has experienced far more pain and abuse than any of us, even under the worst circumstances, will ever know. And, the wrongs against our heavenly Father far outweigh any wrongs done to us. Thus, mercy can - and must - triumph judgment.
This much seems certain: to bask in the mercy shown to us by our Father is to discover the basis for forgiveness and mercy to those who wrong us. Unforgiveness is an indicator that we have not truly known and experienced forgiveness.
May we truly savor, and administer, grace today.
Steve
©Steve Taylor, 2014
Be sure to also visit http://thetruthrevolution.wordpress.com/
Amazon ebook & print devotional -http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FQ1Q9GW
paperback print copy of book — https://www.createspace.com/4500045
“Then Peter came and said to Him, ‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.’ ” (Matthew 18.21-22)
Forgiving seven wrongs seems abundantly generous. But, it seems minuscule in comparison to four hundred and ninety times. The forgiveness ratio is comparable to the mercy and grace extended to us by our heavenly Father, as illustrated in the parable that follows in this passage. A slave owed a great debt to his master, and, being unable to pay, begged for, and received mercy (Matthew 18.23-27). Released from his burden of debt, he encountered a fellow slave who owed a relatively minuscule debt to him. Rather than “paying forward” the generous forgiveness shown him, he demanded retribution (Matthew 18.28-30). The result was that his master withdrew his generous forgiveness and demanded exacting restitution of his debt. The lesson? “My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.” (Matthew 18.35)
A single wrong can be an overwhelming incident to overcome. Seven wrongs, and up to four hundred and ninety wrongs, is a pattern of abuse. And, I’m certain that there are those of you reading who have known the extreme pain of repeated abuse. For you, forgiveness is indescribably difficult. Deep emotional and spiritual wounds have resulted, and genuine forgiveness would seem to offer little remedy for scars that remain. But, regardless of the level of pain and hurt, the challenge before each of us is the same: “forgive (your) brother from your heart.” He who spoke these words has experienced far more pain and abuse than any of us, even under the worst circumstances, will ever know. And, the wrongs against our heavenly Father far outweigh any wrongs done to us. Thus, mercy can - and must - triumph judgment.
This much seems certain: to bask in the mercy shown to us by our Father is to discover the basis for forgiveness and mercy to those who wrong us. Unforgiveness is an indicator that we have not truly known and experienced forgiveness.
May we truly savor, and administer, grace today.
Steve
©Steve Taylor, 2014
Be sure to also visit http://thetruthrevolution.wordpress.com/
Amazon ebook & print devotional -http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FQ1Q9GW
paperback print copy of book — https://www.createspace.com/4500045
posted by steve @ 7:14 AM
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