Rev Michael Anokye: TUESDAY, SECOND WEEK OF LENT – FEB 27, 2024
WHEN WE FORGIVE OTHERS, WE RECEIVE FORGIVENESS IN RETURN FROM THE LORD.
PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, your Son Jesus Christ’s obedience enables me to forgive others as I experience your supernatural forgiveness. Make me strong during the Lenten season and transform my character through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
READING:
Matthew 18:21-35 Peter asked Jesus, “How often should I forgive my brother or sister? Up to seven times?” Jesus replied, “Not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” The Kingdom of Heaven is like a king who wants to settle accounts with his servants. One of his servants owed him ten thousand bags of gold, which he couldn’t pay. The king ordered to sell everything the servant owned. The servant begged for patience and promised to pay back everything. The king forgave his debt and let him go. A servant found another servant who owed him 100 silver coins. He choked him and demanded that he pay back the debt. The second servant begged for patience but was thrown into prison. Other servants reported this to their master. Then, the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I cancelled all your debt because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger, his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured until he should pay back all he owed.” This is how my heavenly Father will treat you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.
Read the whole chapter HERE
REFLECTION:
Most of our hatred towards others sometimes comes from our inability to forgive them. When Peter asked Jesus if forgiving seven times was enough, he may have been struggling with forgiving someone repeatedly, waiting for the seventh time to come so he could get revenge. However, Jesus responded by saying that we should forgive “seventy-seven times” which means we should forgive indefinitely. Jesus also emphasises the importance of forgiveness by stating that the Kingdom of God is all about forgiveness, and those who do not forgive will be handed over to torturers. (Matthew 18:22-34)
When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray, He instructed them to pray for forgiveness for their sins while also forgiving those who wronged them (Matthew 6:12-14). Jesus emphasised that divine forgiveness can be a response to our forgiveness. Therefore, our prayers for forgiveness will be ineffective if we do not forgive others. Jesus also stressed that forgiveness must be genuine and sincere and come from the heart. We must pass on the forgiveness our Heavenly Father gave us through the shedding of His blood on Calvary to those who have wronged us.
LET US PRAY:
Dear Lord Jesus, I sincerely apologise for the sins I have committed. I accept that I decided on bitterness and resentment instead of choosing forgiveness and love. Lord Jesus, Redeemer and Saviour, I ask Your forgiveness; please do not hold my sins against me; instead, see my tears of repentance. I pray that You would not remember my transgressions but rather my genuine sorrow for repentance. I want to be true to Your Word and ask that You come into my heart again, Lord Jesus. Amen
ACTION:
Some argue that “forgive” and “forget” are highly misleading phrases. Why?
Can you forget the incident if you forgive someone?
What happens if you keep holding on to the incident?
Forgiving someone doesn’t mean you’re no longer hurt by their actions; is this part of Jesus’ message of forgiveness?
Forgiving someone who hurt you does not imply giving up on your desire for justice. What are your opinions?
Forgiveness does not imply enabling the abuser to harm you again.
Can you become a friend or have a good relationship with someone you have forgiven?
Please share your thoughts with us in the comments box below