Forgiven | November 18
“… if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
“…I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.”
Matthew 6:14-15, 5:39-41
Jesus, You make it clear that harboring ill feelings towards someone that has wronged us, is prohibited. You did not say it was not a good thing; You said if we do not forgive others, You would not forgive us. That is a very heavy burden for some of us to bear. Help us examine our hearts and see if we are holding any grudges or ill feelings toward someone and then release us from that burden. Surely, Your word says that this is not an option for us, but a requirement.
How Jesus, can we ever turn the other cheek when struck or give a demanding person, not only our sweater, but our coat as well. Such teaching is too hard for us. We want revenge, we want to keep what we feel is ours and we don’t want to travel twice as far as we think we should just because someone wants us to.
We know the answer to these questions. In short, we, in the flesh, can not do as You have commanded. It is only by the power and presence of the Holy Spirit in us that we can be as You. Change our hearts, this day, and enable us to be as You, we pray in Your Holy name, amen.
Bruce Caldwell
The Sola Scriptura Project
