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Theo Tigno•
8/11/2010 8:58 pm
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Thursday, August 12th 2010 |
Matthew 18:21 - 19:1
Peter approached Jesus and asked him, "Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?" Jesus answered, 'I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times. That is why the Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who decided to settle accounts with his servants. When he began the accounting, a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount. Since he had no way of paying it back, his master ordered him to be sold, along with his wife, his children, and all his property, in payment of the debt. At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.' Moved with compassion the master of that servant let him go and forgave him the loan. When that servant had left, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a much smaller amount. He seized him and started to choke him, demanding, 'Pay back what you owe.' Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.' But he refused. Instead, he had the fellow servant put in prison until he paid back the debt. Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were deeply disturbed, and went to their master and reported the whole affair. His master summoned him and said to him, "You wicked servant! I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to. Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?' Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt. So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart." When Jesus finished these words, he left Galilee and went to the district of Judea across the Jordan.
Dawg's Thought:
Today's prayer intention - for Clint Leonard and Kathryn Soltis.
Yesterday a man came up to me and asked if he could wash my windows in exchange for a dollar so that he could buy a burger. Not thinking straight, I told him, "I normally use the card so I don't have any cash on me." He rode away with his bike.
I looked at my wallet when I got into the restaurant and I realized something: I had gotten cash back from a gift certificate that I used for lunch. I was blessed with the means to provide, and I was too caught up in my own "quick response" to answer the call. I bitterly wept internally, for God has been gracious in providing for me, and I am just so grateful to Him.
What made me hurt inside was that God has been merciful to me in the way He has provided. I was the debtor who ignored the opportunity to be merciful.
With that in mind, what a great treasure we have been entrusted to hold in our ability to forgive! It cannot be purchased, and it will last longer than finances we have. Let us be good stewards of this treasure, for we have an abundance of it through Christ. If He tells us that we are to forgive "seventy-seven times," then He will provide the grace for us to spend it freely.
And when you feel like you don't have enough funds on your "forgiveness" credit card, come to The Lord with your sins, and acknowledge your sinfulness. There, your debt will be forgiven so that you can make more transactions of forgiveness.
Take care and God Bless
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