Forgive, forgive and forgive again!
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.’
Matthew 18:21-22 (NIVUK)
I doubt that there are many people on this earth who can honestly say they have never needed to be forgiven. I also believe that most people have had to forgive at one time or another, and perhaps, many times over.
It is not an easy thing to do, depending on the hurt felt. The world might say, ‘if you forgive them, you excuse them’ and so we may feel justified in withholding our forgiveness.
We, however, are not of this world! We are of Jesus Christ and He stands firm on this: we are to forgive, forgive and forgive again. If we are wronged over and over, forgive one more time than the number of offences.
No one can say that forgiveness is easy and, for some, it can be almost impossible. Almost… So why do we seek to adopt a practice that, in truth, can be very, very difficult? To quote C.S. Lewis: ‘To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.’
We stand before the throne of God accepted, redeemed, loved and forgiven, forgiven and forgiven again! That is the ‘why’, now for the ‘how’ – in Jesus Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Prayer
Oh Lord, we love you. You have forgiven us when we are so undeserving. Teach us how to forgive as you forgive! Shape our hearts to be more like yours, every day to bear your image a little more. In Jesus’ sweet name, Amen.
Study by Sinead Henderson
About the writer:
Sinead Henderson attends the Northampton congregation
of Grace Communion International
Local congregation:
GCI Northampton
Ecton Village Hall
78A High Street
Ecton
Northampton
NN6 0QB
Meeting time:
Saturday 10:30am
Local congregational contact:
Gavin Henderson
Email: gavin.henderson@gracecom.church
Word of Life contact:
wordoflife@gracecom.church