Today’s Devotion
Topic: Forgive Us Our Debt
Text: Matthew 6: 12
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. Amen.
A debt is what we owe, in exchange for goods or services offered at a cost, or, a feeling of gratitude for a service or favour. We refer to anyone who owes as a debtor.
God created us in His image and likeness, for His will and pleasure. Anytime we fall outside the will of God, we sin against God, and are liable to incur His wrath. But He is so merciful to forgive all our debts so we can do same for those who trespass against us.
Knowing how difficult it is for us to forgive one another, God has made His “forgiving us” conditional to our preparedness to forgive others. For if God, being holy, is able to forgive our many despicable sins, why can’t we do same for each other?
One day, Jesus taught that “the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. 26 “At this the servant fell on his knees before him.‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ (Mat 18: 23- 26)
“The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. 28 “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. 29 “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’ 30 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt.
32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. (Mat 18: 32- 34)
Jesus warns by saying. “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.” (Mat 18: 35). As we begin a new working week, let us all ask for forgiveness for our unforgiving attitude towards others and pray for a forgiving heart so our own sins will be forgiven too.
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