Discipleship & Radical ForgivenessSample

From the Gospel of Luke, we know the disciples ask Jesus "teach us to pray." And then this prayer - the "our Father" - is the answer. A sample prayer, wonderful and straight from the mouth of Jesus himself.

"Pray ye therefore thus: Our Father, Who art in heaven. Thy Name be hallowed.

Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as it is in heaven so on earth.

Give us this day our daily bread.

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

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will forgive you also.

But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."

In the midst of this prayer, he speaks of forgiveness.

Father forgive! Father, forgive us. We are guilty before You. Forgive us "as we forgive our debtors.

Receive forgiveness - give forgiveness. As we give forgiveness - so also receive.

In this, the question comes to you and me: 'do you forgive others?' How is that with you? How do you give and receive forgiveness? When we have a good view of what we have all received in Jesus and how great the grace and forgiveness God gives us in Him, it is easier to forgive others and to receive forgiveness. Look to Jesus and what He has done, and let gratitude fill your heart.

In Romans 8, you will find a special sequence of questions and answers. Paul writes about how God is before us, how in Jesus we have received everything, about how He justifies us. He then goes on to name how Jesus intercedes for us and how in and through Him we are overcomers.

As 'icing on the cake,' Paul writes, "nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." Talk about "good news"!

We have received everything in Jesus, in His work, and through His forgiveness.

Wonderful, isn't it? When you let that sink in, it makes you grateful.

So forgive just as the Father has forgiven us. Sometimes that is difficult, but it makes you free.

Receive forgiveness - just as we forgive others.

Take the following questions with you to think about and take action on:

• Is there anyone to whom you still have forgiveness to ask?
• How will you do that?
• What concrete steps will you take?

Prayer:

Find a quiet place and pray this prayer. Dwell on the middle part of the prayer - "Father forgive" - and thank Him for the forgiveness (and the other things Paul mentions in Romans 8) you may receive through Jesus.