Forgive Us

Has a member of the Mafia or maybe a gang member ever been after you? Has anyone ever had your phone number and their mission was to track you down and make you pay. Their job is to collect past due payments. They will threaten to ruin your credit, call the police or even tell your mother. You see a good day for them means a bad day for everyone they contact. Why would anyone want a job such as that? Collectors spend the day making people feel bad. No one wants to take their call. No one is happy to see them at the door. No one wants to read their letters. What does the wife say when their husband heads off to work? Maybe something of this nature "have a good day and make 'em squirm, honey."

Could you imagine spending your days like that? Maybe you can! Have you ever spent time demanding payment? Does someone owe you something? Do they owe you an apology, a second chance, a fresh start, an explanation, a thank you, a childhood or a marriage? Maybe your parents should have been more protective. Your children should have been more appreciative. Or yes your spouse; well they should have been more sensitive. Dealing with debt is at the heart of your happiness. It's also at the heart of the Lord's Prayer.

Matthew 6:12
And forgive us our debts,.

Matthew 6:14
For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:

Matthew 6:15
But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
You know what? The Lord doesn't question the reality of your wounds. He doesn't doubt that you have been sinned against. But the issue is not the existence of pain; the issue is the treatment of pain.
Remember the Amos and Andy show? Well one day Amos asked Andy what was the little bottle he was wearing around his neck. Andy said, "It's Nitroglycerine." Amos then said what are you wearing that around your neck for? Then Andy tells him about a certain fellow who has a bad habit of poking people in the chest while he is talking to them. The next time he pokes me in the chest I will blow his finger off. When we try to get even we always get hurt. Let's think for a moment and ask ourselves how much is enough? Would an apology suffice, or would an Explanation? How appreciative is enough? Picture that person that you think owes you; they are tied to a whipping post the question is how many lashes? Ok, you come up with a number; the whip cracks, the blood flows and the punishment is inflicted. Are you happy now? Do you feel better? Are you at peace? How long will it be before that memory surfaces again? You say that's it the memory won't return; sure it will and the reason being you wanted justice when you should have just forgiven! Is that the way we want God to treat us? Of course not and He doesn't want us to treat each other like that either. Tomorrow we will talk about forgive us….. as we forgive… and what is this prayer implying?