“Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us…” was, and is, Your instruction to us Father through Yeshua.
Father… “…how often can my brother sin against me and I have to forgive him? As many as seven times?”
“’No, not seven times’, answered Yeshua, ‘but seventy times seven!’”
And in another place…
“…if seven times in one day he sins against you, and seven times he comes to you and says, ‘I repent,’ you are to forgive him.”
This “brother”, Father… is he a brother in the faith only, or brother in the sense of a fellow human being?
Father, as they mocked and scorned Him, His plea to You…
“Father, forgive them; they don’t understand what they are doing.”
His plea, His sacrifice, His forgiveness was for all people.
So did He not set the example for us?
Should we not extend the mercy of forgiveness to those who wrong us but are sorry, repentant… as often as asked… and mirror the ongoing forgiveness that Yeshua’s sacrifice provides for us?…
do for others as You do for us?
Should we not forgive even if it is not sought?… understand… as Yeshua did, that they didn’t understand… and in a sense pleading with You, Father… “Patience, Father. Hold Your anger for another time. Give them a chance, and at some point they may come under conviction, realize their need for forgiveness. And it will be there for them”.
May we ourselves who seek forgiveness be able to have an expectation, a hope, that others will be merciful towards us as well as we say “We’re sorry. Please forgive.”
And may we not think that that forgiving spirit within others would give us freedom to take advantage.
Thank You, Father, for the grace that endures forever.
We love You, Abba.
In Yeshua’s name…
Amen
Matthew 6:12
Matthew 18:21-22
Luke 17:3-4
Luke 23:34
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