Thursday, January 28

THURSDAY, JANUARY 28, 2016

Exodus 5:22–7

Matthew 18:21–19:12

Psalm 23:1–6

Proverbs 5:22,23

 

 

The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant speaks to all of us.  We constantly elevate the “debt” that others or “the world” owes us in terms of human mistakes, yet we diminish the liability that our own sin rightly has created.  “For the wages of sin is death… ” reads the first half of Romans 6:23.  While our sin has merited death – spiritual separation from God, a grave and terrible fate – we wish to hold others accountable for their sins against us and to play the judge.  This parable clearly demonstrates the folly of this logic and the misattribution of debt.

 

On another related note, this parable causes me to consider the real cost of unforgiveness in our own hearts:  both towards others and towards ourselves.  Or, phrased differently, what are the costs of failing to extend grace?

 

As undoubtedly with you, I have certainly experienced that momentary psychic pleasure of holding others’ sin.  We find a rush from claiming superiority and victory over one another.  Our current media culture has taken this practice into hyperspeed, as one group claims victory by calling out the bigotry, shortsightedness, or general wrongness of another group.  The whole effort just leads to a breakdown in communication, alienation, and an abandonment of common virtue.  But it sells television advertising time!

 

As Jesus urges us, we may take a different course, one of loving enough to forgive those who have wronged us, to extend a portion of the grace that God has lavished on us.  This attitude of lovingkindness offers the world a glimpse of God’s amazing goodness.  To do less means that we haven’t tasted this grace and experienced it for ourselves.  Once we have, we recognize that each person is simply like us, broken without the intervention of a loving and gracious God.

 

In addition, failing to extend grace traps us in unforgiveness and grows roots of bitterness.  These states ultimately sap us of strength and cause us to experience God’s presence less clearly.  Indeed, Jesus explains that we ought to settle matters with our brothers before approaching God in prayer.  He shared this truth because it would lead us to know God better and to love Him more effectively.

 

This radical forgiveness does require experiencing God’s grace.  How and to whom may you express this radical grace?  How would you like to find freedom to experience more of His presence through forgiving others?  I encourage you to seek reconciliation and wholeness in your relationships even today!

 

 

Lord Jesus, thank You for showing us the true nature of unforgiveness.  Help us to understand and perceive the tremendous weight of our sin and the enormity of Your lovingkindness.  Give us the courage to discover all those manners of unforgiveness in our hearts so that we may have reconciliation with others and peace with You.  Thank You that, at the Cross, You have canceled all our sin.  We love You and worship You with our lives today.  In Your Name, amen.

 

 

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