Wouldn’t be cool if all the credit card and auto loan
companies cancelled our credit card charges and car loans all at once? Not just
that, imagine the mortgage company telling you all you had to do in order to
own your home outright is to bring in a $1 bill and you know the house free and
clear? Sounds incredible, doesn’t it…all this debt forgiving?!
Yes, it does. You and I cannot equate a car loan to the
Savior of the world, but the concept is almost parallel. When Jesus paid
for ALL sin – from Creation to the end of time – for ALL time, He wiped away
ALL debt which sinful man owed, for all time – if we repent and put all our
faith In Jesus, and Him alone, as Lord and Master of our lives. But
before He did that ultimate act of love and sacrifice, He gave an account of a
servant who had a massive debt forgiven. It was the equivalent of over
$100,000. This man’s debt was completely forgiven. Yet, having been forgiven
such a huge sum, this servant refused to extend even 1/100th of that
same grace to another fellow servant, who had owed him a very small amount. For
this act of selfishness and unforgiveness, the man who was first forgive
paid a price. (Click here to read).
Jesus is basically teaching us in this prayer a few life
lessons, which we will do well to remember. Our position in Christ depends on
it – not salvation. But unforgiveness is a horrible thing which should not be
in the vocabulary of the Christian. Jesus gave us a lesson on this, for the
ages. He says in Matthew 5:23-24 the following: "Therefore if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift". God does not need our stuff, obedience to Him is more acceptable than sacrifice.
In other words, it is better to be at peace with God, man and self….as indicated in Romans 12:18. We first start by making sure that
there is nothing between us and God, through issues with fellow human beings.
While others may reject our offers of peace and fellowship, it is more than our
responsibility on us to do the right thing. It is our duty. We make the
first step to reconciliation. We pray for guidance from the Holy Spirit to
enable us to offer the hand of friendship and grace, even to the point of
rejection. We do all these things in the right spirit, and the Lord will be pleased with our prayers, because we have forgiven those who had a "debt" or an issue against us.
Father in the Name of Jesus in Heaven, thank You for Your Eternal guidance on how we should approach You in fellowship, friendship and prayer so that You will listen to us, without the stumbling block of sin and disobedience in our lives. You call on us daily to be not just salt and light, but to do the hard things - the HARDER things....to be the better person by saying "we're sorry" to someone who has wronged us. You call us to be like Christ Who looked down at those who spat at, cursed at and blasphemed at Him while beating and dishonoring Him and said "Father forgive them, they know not what they do". Lord we know they have had 2000 years to know what they did and regret it, but let US have no regrets NOW in this life. Let us follow the example and teaching of this prayer so we may be kind of disciple You called us to be, when Jesus told us to pick up our own Cross and follow Him. You called us to walk out this salvation, with purpose, power and even pain. You called us to grow and not live in unforgiveness since You, oh gracious and good God in Heaven, have forgiven us everything, when when we deserved nothing. For that, oh kind and merciful Father, we are eternally grateful, to the Praise and Glory of Your Wonderful, Precious and Holy Name, in Jesus Strong Name we pray, amen.
