Poignant statement: When you hold resentment toward another, you are bound by that person or condition by an emotional link that is stronger than steel. Forgiveness is the only way to dissolve that link and get free. Catherin Ponde
Subject: Forgiving others
Scripture: Mathew 18 21-35
The message of the Bible is that God loves us and forgives our sins. Even in the Old Testament times we are repeatedly told that our God is the forgiving God and in the New Testament the Lord Jesus comes as Sacrificial Lamb to forgive our sins. None of us deserve forgiveness but all of us deserve eternal condemnation. So beloved it is sheer mercy of God that we are alive and are called children of God.
We are not only forgiven but blessed with all the heavenly blessings of God. We are
– Rescued from darkness to light. Col 1:13
– We are made children of God. John 1:12
– We are given new nature 2 Coe. 5:17
– We are given eternal life John 3:16
Now the parable mentioned above talks about a man who owed his master an amount of money which he could never ever pay and the Master forgives him. In those days ten thousand talents would be the annual income of a very rich king. What a relief it must have been when he finds that the Master forgives him. However, just as he goes out, he meets his fellow servant who owed him a denari which was merely a days wage and he demands that he pay him the sum right away. When he pleads for mercy and some time to pay back, he is publicly humiliated and thrown in jail. Later when the Master finds out then he is called and he is thrown in jail till he pays. The man who owed little amount will be able to come out of jail but the man who owed a huge amount will languish and die in jail. Jesus uses this rather hyperbole example to show the gravity of the parable.
The Lord Jesus taught a very sublime and serious lesson to his disciples and the story and the meaning of it reverberates even in our days.
We are called to forgive the offence of anyone and it has to be limitless and forever. That is what is meant 70 times 70. Oh, let us be candid because I will not know what to do if I have to forgive 70 times 70 the same person who comes to me and says sorry. It means that
-If we do not forgive sins of others the unforgiving heart will kill us. Someone has said, “Not forgiving seems sweet to people in the beginning but it only is a sugared poison, only sweetened gall and its after taste is bitter as hell. But if we forgive the sins of other people then forgiving enduring love becomes sweet and blissful, it enjoys peace and consciousness of God’s favor. By forgiving one annihilates the injury. It treats the injurer as if he has never injured. Forgiveness brings heaven to earth and heaven’s peace to a sinful heart.
My experience is that I have been injured many times by others and they have not been pleasant. But in a feeble way I have learned to forgive and this has kept me in the peace of God. I am just a sinner trying to crawl and I need much help.
One of the things I want to share with you before I close this devotion is that many people do not want to forgive themselves. They blame themselves all the time and live in perpetual sea of disquiet and restlessness. I am a great sinner but I know my Jesus is greater than my sin. Therefore I have learned to forgive myself knowing that the Lord has forgiven me. I have not forgotten my sins but they are reminder of my spiritual fall and that I need to be alert everyday so that I may not fall in sin.
In conclusion let me encourage you to seek the forgiveness of sin. You should not sin thinking that God is merciful and no matter what we will be forgiven. If this is our attitude then we have not understood the Biblical concept of forgiveness of sin. We should also forgive sins of other people against us so that we do not live in perpetual hate and restlessness.
Poignant statement: When you hold resentment toward another, you are bound by that person or condition by an emotional link that is stronger than steel. Forgiveness is the only way to dissolve that link and get free. Catherin Ponder
Prayer: Lord, thank you for forgiving me and now give me grace to forgive those who have offended me in any way. I also pray that you would teach me to forgive myself because you have graciously forgiven me.
Republished in new layout on 8/20/2013
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