Forgive Them

I greet you in Jesus’ precious name! It is Thursday morning, the 3rd of October, 2024, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today. 

We start in the Gospel of Matthew 18:21-22:

”Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times? Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.” 

Wow, the one who hurts us, we have to forgive him. The one who offended us, we have to forgive him. The one who sins against us, we have to forgive. I can hear somebody saying to me right now, ”I can’t do it.” You can and you must. “Why?” you ask. Well, because Jesus did it for you and I.

In the Gospel of Luke 23:34, the Lord Jesus when He was dying on the cross of Calvary He said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” We never condone the sin - but we forgive the one who has sinned against us. Some of us might be saying, ”But it’s not fair! Where is the justice in all of this?” Well, on the great day of judgement, our Heavenly Father will deal with it. Justice will be carried out, that is a fact. That’s why the Lord says to you and I, we must pray for our enemies, because every single person will have to give an account of their lives when they go to Heaven. 

When we forgive, it actually benefits us - really, it frees us up. It’s like a 50 kg bag of cement that we’ve been carrying on our backs for years. We lay it down at the cross. We say, ”Lord. I forgive that person for what they did to me.” Maybe it’s adultery, maybe it’s theft, maybe it’s bad using of your name, your reputation. Today, forgive them for what they’ve done to you and move on with your life. You know, some of those people are not even aware that they have offended you or hurt you. Forgive them. I want to pray for you and I want to pray for myself as well. 

Heavenly Father, 

This is a tall order that you’ve asked us today, seventy times seven. We can’t do it Lord, in our own strength, that’s the honest truth, but today we come to the altar and we lay down that offence, that sin that someone has done against us. We lay it down at the altar because we can’t do it Lord and we ask you to take care of it please. You forgave us Lord, give us the strength to forgive others. 

In Jesus name. 
Amen

God bless you and have a wonderful day.
Goodbye