Monday, February 24, 2020
Bible Text: Matthew 18:21-22 Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?” “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven! Read Matthew 18:21-35
Memory Verse: Hebrews 10:17NLT, Then he says, “I will never again remember their sins and lawless deeds.”
Picture yourself as the parent of a child who constantly get things wrong even though you have managed to teach them the same thing over and over again. Would you disown the child? mindfully try to make excuses for why the child is keeps being wrong? Or would you continue correcting and hoping that one day the child will eventually get things right? This is the way Jesus taught and the scriptures still teaches us to deal with our fellow brethren.
One of the greatest benefits of Christianity is the love of God shown to us through forgiveness. Being classed as a child of God adopted into His family, means you have benefited from the love of Christ. How then can you be called a child of God who lives a life of unforgiveness? Christ has already payed the ultimate sacrifice for us all, dying on the cross to redeem us from our covenant with sin and granting us forgiveness on a plate, since we get it for free, why is so difficult to dispense forgiveness to others?
At times, you might think they are an obedient child of God until something happens in life that pushes your boundaries. You suddenly get stuck at that junction unable to turn left or right, burdened with the inability to progress because of that anger and bitterness caused by the situation. While some may see it as something to work on so as not to negatively impact a good relationship with God, others might find it difficult, forgetting how important it is to let go while living on in life as normal, holding firm to that seemingly unforgivable situation. The devil has at this point succeeded in making unforgiveness so minor, leaving the bearer with a stony heart.
The only way to move on and make progress in life is through Forgiveness. Jesus told the parable of the unforgiving servant in the most simple way Matthew 18:21-35. Peter had obviously had enough of someone’s excesses and wanted to know how much longer he could go on despite the individual’s action being unbearable. He already had an answer in mind, seven times? He asked Jesus! Being honest, forgiving an individual seven times in a day is a whole lot of hardwork because after letting someone off the first time and at a stretch the second, anyone will get frustrated having to do more rounds of forgiveness all in the same day! Peter just wanted to know at which point unforgiveness becomes acceptable, but Jesus replied him in Mathew 18:22 “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven! What! 490 Times for just one person, in a day?
The key lesson Jesus was teaching Peter here was not to keep records of wrong doings for each person but to forgive until he’s heart was in the right place, not holding unto any type of bitterness. Even if you decide to keep a log of offences against you, ticking each off by rubberstamping forgiven on them, by the time you approach maybe 100 times, you would have gotten to a place of naturally letting go and moving on with life. Keeping records and ticking off I believe is exhausting enough.
Don’t not be deceived, you cannot entice God with physical service because He deals with the heart. If you have an unforgiving heart like the servant who refused to forgive his fellow servant even though he had been forgiven, you put yourself back into debt because Jesus already made it clear when He said “That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.” Matthew 18:35.
The anger and bitterness you constantly feel is a torture for you because you may have said the word “I forgive you” to that person through which offence came, but unless it’s from your heart, you put yourself in a position of torture.
God chooses not to remember our sins anymore, therefore we have a choice to make when it comes to forgiveness. What will the choice be for you? Yes, the memories sometimes will keep lingering but you also have a choice to dwell on them or not. Progress here for you is not to allow anger and bitterness dominate your own life or impact your relationship with God.
I pray that God will give you and I the perfect understanding of forgiveness as the years goes by and give us the strength to forgive the right way in Jesus Name. Amen.
PRAYERS:
- Father I thank You for your endless blessings and great plans you have for me
- Forgive my iniquities Lord and let your mercy prevail over judgement
- Help me to let go, forgive and forget all grudges and give me the ability to go on 70×7 times each and every day for the rest of my life.
- Thank you Father and in Jesus Name I Pray, Amen.
I’m reading the YouVersion plan ‘Bible in One Year 2020 With Nicky Gumbel’. Check it out by clicking on the caption below.
