Then Peter came up and said to him [Jesus],
“Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.” Matt. 18:21-22
Lord Jesus, any conversation about forgiving others begins and circles back to the forgiveness we enjoy from you. By your life, death, and resurrection, all of our sins have been forgiven—sins in the past, present, and future. Not just the things we did wrong, but the things we failed to do right—they’re all forgiven.
By your Holy Spirit, reignite this glorious reality in our hearts. May we never forget it, under-believe it, or take our forgiveness for granted. Because many of us live with Peter’s question. “Do I really have to keep on forgiving that person?”
In view of old hurts and present pain, I pray for myself and others this Saturday. Heart-pain has a photographic memory; and we suffer from gospel-amnesia.
Jesus, we come to you today for seventy-times-seven grace. We don’t want to be held hostage by our unforgiveness, self-righteousness, and desire for vindication. We humble ourselves before you. This side of heaven, some relationships won’t result in reconciliation. But none of us can afford the price tag of choosing not to forgive from our hearts.
We are to forgive others as you’ve forgiven us, Jesus. It’s as simple, messy, and as costly as that. We’re not doormats to be walked on; but the doorway to stories of mercy, grace, and redemption. You’ve promised to finance our commitment to love well with the riches of the Gospel.
The toxins of bitterness, resentment, and unforgiveness are too deadly to store in our heart-pantry. May the wonder of our forgiveness be 10,000 times more real than the pain of our heart-wounds. Help us, Jesus. So very Amen we pray in your liberating and healing name.
