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FATHER, FORGIVE THEM

“And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors… For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” Matthew 6:12-15 NIV

Forgiveness is another core principle for reconciliation. The core of Christianity is the belief that Christ died on the cross for our sins and that God loved us so much that He gave his son so that our sins might be forgiven and our guilt might be atoned for. The Scriptures confirm this repeatedly: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). This is where the Christian faith differs from other religions: we can constantly start anew. In his love and mercy, the Lord forgives us day by day and clasps us to his heart. But Jesus taught us that as God forgives us, we must forgive those who have harmed us. He not only included this command in the Lord’s Prayer but often mentioned it to his followers and explained it in parables (Matt.18:21-35). This is an important lesson that we must learn in our own lives and our communities.

Forgiving someone who hurt you is one of the most difficult things to do. In fact, it is humanly impossible. Forgiveness is a divine attribute of our God (Exo.34:6-7), clearly expressed by Jesus when He forgave his executors (Luk.21:34). The scary thought is that if we don't forgive others because of what they did to us, God will not forgive us. This was exactly what Jesus tried to explain to Peter when he asked how many times he should forgive a brother who sinned against him.

PRAYER POINTS

ME: Father God, You are merciful and gracious, slow to anger. With You, there is forgiveness. Thank You for forgiving my sins. Father, I confess before You that I am sometimes slow to forgive. Father, I confess that in my humanity, I do not want to forgive because I want justice and revenge on those who hurt me. Father, soften my heart so that I can forgive as Jesus did. I am willing and ready for You to lead me to forgive those who have sinned against me and against my people.

US: Pray that God’s Holy Spirit will work supernaturally in every denomination of the Church to prepare and soften the hearts of Christians to come to a place of willingness to forgive their former enemies and those who have hurt them. Let us pray for husbands, wives, children, teachers, students, and elderly people – any who carry grudges, bitterness, and hatred, to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit to bring healing and restoration to their hearts.

THEM: As deeply traumatized and wounded nations, many people have become hard and bitter. Pray for the Holy Spirit to help us with true forgiveness and true reconciliation. Pray that God will grant us a season of forgiveness and reconciliation in our nations and that many people, even non-Christians, will want to work together for peace and reconciliation. Pray for a season of divine grace over us as nations to begin a true, lasting reconciliation process.

Remember your John 17 memory verse.

"As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn't leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I'd still be in prison." - Nelson Mandela