FORGIVENESS

October 28, 2010

10:15pm

DAILY DEVOTIONAL: October 5

Martyn Lloyd Jones : Walking with God

“for the man who does not forgive will not be forgiven…” Matthew 18:35

Matthew 18:25-35

English Standard Version (ESV)

²⁵  And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. ²⁶ So the servant^[a] fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ ²⁷ And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. ²⁸ But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii,^[b] and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ ²⁹ So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ ³⁰ He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. ³¹ When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. ³² Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. ³³  And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ ³⁴  And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers,^[c] until he should pay all his debt. ³⁵  So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

What this means is that you and I can only be happy about the fact that we are Christians, if we find this loving, forgiving spirit within ourselves. It is idle for us to day that we know God has forgiven us if we ourselves are not loving and forgiving. People who say they are in the light but who hate and do not forgive their brother are in darkness even now.

“He that loveth his brother abideth in the light” 1 John 2:10

Lord, I pray that You would give us a heart, a heart that is willing to forgive even when someone really crushed, transgressed and hurt us… may it be someone from the past, today or tomorrow.

I pray Thee to teach me to forgive them that You may forgive me too… teach us to remember how we have been forgiven and that we ought to forgive.

Teach us to let go of the past, of the pain. We are bunch of imperfect people and each and one of us commits sin every day. No one is perfect, no one can perfectly follow Your precepts.

But Lord, You have shown us the way.. day by day.. Leading and guiding us to the path of righteousness.. the right way is always the hard way.. but it directs us to You. Even when sometimes we walk through the valleys of doubt, confusion, hatred, anger, silence… Lord You are always with us.

So Lord, teach us to remember who we are now.. we are Christians shed by Your blood.. by Your grace we are saved.. by Your grace and unfailing love, we are forgiven…

Lord help us… teach us I pray…

Amen.