[As Jesus taught his disciples to pray, he reminded them:] “But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
Thoughts on Today’s Verse…
Can you think of a more frightening thought than God not forgiving our sins? We know how much Jesus paid so our sins could be forgiven! We know how much the LORD loves us. We know how much our heavenly Father wants us to have a relationship with him. So why would any of us withhold our forgiveness of others when God has so lavishly given his forgiveness to us? When we don’t forgive, we demonstrate that we have not graciously received the LORD’s forgiveness or did not understand that our forgiveness is not confirmed until we share it with others! God is graciously forgiving and will not accept those not graciously forgiving of others!
My Prayer…
Holy God, there are those whom I find difficult to forgive. Right now, while I’m praying, please soften my heart with your Spirit, cleanse my soul of any bitterness or resentment, and empower me to let go of the pain of the past and forgive. I thank you for this grace to not only be forgiven but also forgive. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.