FORGIVENESS

“And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.”

Matthew 6:12 KJV

Do we really want God to forgive us as we forgive those who hurt us?  I prayed this prayer many times until I finally realized what I was asking Him to do.  If He had forgiven me the way I had forgiven others, I would have been in trouble because I did not forgive people from my heart.

Unless and until we forgive people from our heart the way God forgives us, we have not forgiven them.  If God had forgiven us with words only and not with actions, we would be on our way to hell for all eternity.  Thank God that He proved His love for us with actions when He gave Jesus to die for our sins.

I used to put people on pedestals and expected them to be perfect then when they failed as all of us do it broke my heart.  None of us are perfect.  All of us fail because we are still in the flesh.  There was only one perfect person who ever lived or ever will live and His Name is Jesus.  O how I love Jesus!

Pastor Chuck Smith wrote one of my favorite hymns “Jesus Never Fails” and it is true.  We can trust Jesus and depend on Him because He has never failed us one time and He never will.  What a Saviour!  What a Friend, this Jesus of Nazareth!  All hail, King Jesus!  Worthy is the Lamb of God!

Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your beloved Son to die on the cross for our sins.  We love You so much and we appreciate You.  Thank You, dear Jesus, for loving us so much You died for us.  In Jesus’ Name, I pray.  Amen.

Joanne Lowe

January 6, 2016