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1 Jesus said to his disciples, “Occasions for sin are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come! 2 It would be better for you if a millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea than for you to cause one of these little ones to sin. 3 Be on your guard! If a brother or sister sins, you must rebuke the offender, and if there is repentance, you must forgive. 4 And if the same person sins against you seven times a day and turns back to you seven times and says, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive.”

 

When my children were younger, I enjoyed watching them play with other kids. I recall several times when one child would knock down the tower castle made of building blocks that another child worked on, and I expected an upset response. Instead, of being upset, I remember one of the kids saying, “I’m not upset, because if I get mad, I won’t have anyone to play with.”

That moment reminds me of Jesus’ words from our text today. Jesus knows that people will hurt us. Feelings will get bruised, and others will offend us. If there is repentance, you must forgive. And here’s the hard part: Jesus says if someone sins against you seven times in a day and turns back seven times saying, “I repent,” you are to forgive. That kind of forgiveness feels impossible sometimes. Yet, as I have learned over the course of my lifetime, often times I have to submit these hard feelings to God and let God find it in my heart to reconcile with the other person.

Because that is exactly what Jesus did with us. We come to God with our same failures and offenses. And again and again, Jesus meets us not with divine vengeance but with mercy.

Maybe there is someone who has ruined your “building blocks” today and step all over your plans. The cross of Jesus serves as our reminder of forgiveness.

Let us pray: Lord, give me the power to repent and to forgive. God, sometimes I cannot find it in my heart to turn it over to you and allow you to restore my relationship. Jesus, help me lay my burdens down at the foot of cross and walk away. Show your grace and mercy in my life so that I can share the same with others. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Pastor Steve

pastorsteve@livinglord.org

 

Prayer Concern - Pray for those who need to be forgiven and for those who struggle to forgive.