Saturday, February 9, 2019
KEY QUESTIONS FOR A NEW YEAR (5)
Matthew 18:21 Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?
Peter's suggestion of forgiving up to seven times seemed to him to be superbly generous. Jesus' answer, forgiving 70 times 7, shows how pathetic our forgiveness often is. We easily get caught in the trap of thinking there's a limit to how much I can or should forgive.
You've heard of the five second rule? If it's been on the floor for five seconds or less, you can still pick it up and eat it. More than five seconds, you toss it in the garbage. I don't know about you, but I'm sure glad God doesn't go by Peter's "Seven Sins Rule" before He's done with me and throws me away into the garbage pit of hell. When we refuse to forgive someone, we are treating that person like a germ-infested piece of garbage that we don't want anything to do with anymore.
Jesus says, "Whoever comes to Me I will never drive way" (John 6:37). No matter how many times I mess up and break His laws in thought, word, and deed, He forgives Me; and He has forgiven me infinitely more than I will ever need to forgive anyone else. He forgives me, not because I deserve it, but only because He is merciful and loves me.
Yes, forgiveness can be a hard thing. Jesus knew it would be hard for us. That's why in the Lord's Prayer He included the words, "And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who sin against us." Forgiveness is so hard for us that we need to pray about it all of the time. But when we forgive as we have been forgiven we are unleashing the healing power of God; and don't we desperately need that power to be working in our marriages, our families, and in our church? In this new year look hard and long at Jesus' cross and contemplate how much He's forgiven you; and, in so doing, He will help you to a life of forgiveness that knows no limits.
