Another Meditation about Forgiveness

Walking in the Truth

Today's Scriptural Truth

"Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, 'Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?' Jesus answered, 'I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.'"  Matt. 18:21-22  [Jesus elaborates as you read the entire context  in Matt. 18:21-35.]

Today's Devotional Thoughts

Peter probably thought that he was being pretty generous. It seems to me that I remember reading or hearing in a Bible study that the rabbinical teaching in Jesus' day was that forgiving someone for an offense against you even 7 times was way more than what was expected.

Besides, we understand that when Jesus told Peter [and us] to forgive someone 70 X 7 times, i.e., 490 times, He was speaking of forgiveness that is boundless & without limits.

I don't know about you, but, being the poor miserable sinner that I am, I'm not sure that I care much for Jesus' teaching.

When I taught Lutheran high school theology courses, I used this illustration to try to help students grasp just how difficult it would be to forgive someone 490 times, let alone forgive someone endlessly. Suppose that nemesis of yours at school knocked your books out of your hand every time he met you in the hallway. I'm not just talking about once & awhile. I'm talking about every, single time . . . day after day . . . week after week . . . year after year. Could you do that?

Or think about it qualitatively, not quantitatively . . . What about the nature of someone's sin again you? The home invader who steals something of such value that it is of inestimable loss to you . . .

• The school bully who did more than just knock the books out of your hands--maybe he gave you a sound thrashing every once & awhile . . . In front of your girlfriend! . . . 
• What about someone who has committed a grievous offense against you personally . . . against a member of your family . . .
• Such an egregious offense . . . a life shattering offense . . . an offense so terrible that it has the ability to continue to haunt you & those you love many, many years after the fact?!

And Jesus tells us to forgive those who sin against us 490 times? No, make that forgive 
"not seven times," but endlessly?!

As much as I don't like what I'm reading here . . . as difficult as I find to accept this . . . my faith in the unvarnished & eternal Truth of Holy Scripture slows me down to meditate on what Jesus is asking of us . . . 

Because He knows what's right for us to do . . . What's best for our own spiritual & emotional well-being!

• After all, He instructed His disciples [and us] to pray in the Lord's Prayer, "Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who trespass against us."
• It would seem the height of hypocrisy to receive the endless forgiveness of Christ for my own sins, then withhold my personal forgiveness for someone's offense against me.
• People who harbor an unforgiven sin against another--a grudge, if you will--can slowly become the victim of a poisoned heart.
• But what if this person has never asked for your forgiveness? As far as you know, he or she still is unrepentant about the grievous seen that was perpetuated against you or your loved ones? Well, God knows what's in the soul, doesn't He? And the offender's spiritual state does not or should not inform my decision to forgive him . . . Why?

Because it's the right thing to do. 

A closing thought . . . If you harbor an unforgiven sin in your heart against someone who has grievously wronged you and/or a loved one, I want to make it clear that I am NOT judging you. I speak as someone who's family has been the victim of such a heartache. What I'm asking you to do is meditate on God's Word, pray, & ask the Holy Spirit to work on your heart . . . 

And--dare I suggest--work on the heart of the one who has committed such a heinous sin.

More Scriptural Truth

"For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He revoked our transgressions from us."  Psalm 103:11-12

Today's Prayer *

"'Forgive our sins as we forgive,' You taught us, Lord, to pray;
But You alone can grant us grace To live the words we say.

"How can Your pardon reach & bless The unforgiving heart
That broods on wrongs & will not let Old bitterness depart?

"In blazing light Your cross reveals The truth we dimly knew;
What trivial debts are owed to us, How great our debt to You!

"Lord, cleanse the depths within our souls And bid resentment cease;
Then, bound to all in bonds of love, Our lives will spread Your peace."

* Source:  "Forgive Our Sins as We Forgive," from Lutheran Service Book, #843

Addendum

I wrote this devotion in 2016.