Our LORD not only offers to forgive us through Yeshua, but He expects we likewise forgive others. The scripture has strong messages toward this end. One example directly follows the LORD’s prayer in Matthew 6, but is often overlooked.
12‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
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14“For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15“But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.
But surely there is a limit to how many times we should forgive? Peter thought seven times would be generous. Yeshua had much more in mind. Keep in mind that Yeshua is basically saying we should continue forgiving without counting. There is symbolic value in the seven and seventy. I believe the number seven represents the number of perfection or God. But think of it like this… we should forgive others as we want to be forgiven by God. Do we want Him keeping a score? I do not! I have made too many mistakes.
Forgiveness hinges on genuine repentance and not on how many times we mess up.
Forgiveness
21Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” 22Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
23“For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. 24“When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. 25“But since he did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made. 26“So the slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’ 27“And the lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and forgave him the debt. 28“But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe.’ 29“So his fellow slave fell to the ground and began to plead with him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you.’ 30“But he was unwilling and went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed. 31“So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their lord all that had happened. 32“Then summoning him, his lord said to him, ‘You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33‘Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?’ 34“And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. 35“My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.”
I invite you to pray for this area in your life.
Father, please forgive me for my sins and shortcomings. Please help me to forgive others. Show me any areas in my life or any people in which I hold to unforgiveness. Help me to release that and embrace forgiveness. Amen.
Shalom
Devotion by John in service to Christ
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