'Forgiveness'

     As a child you might remember a sibling stealing away your most beloved toy, because they liked it better. And you, with your bottom lip puckered, arms crossed blatantly refused to forgive them until they gave your toy back. Then maybe...maybe then you might 'think' about forgiving them.
  
     In Matthew 18:21-35, it is talking about how Peter came to Jesus and asked him how often should he forgive if his brother sin against him. He asks, "Until seven times?" But Jesus told him, not seven times, but until seventy times seven. And for all you mathematicians out there, that's 490 times. Wow, I struggle with forgiving once. That's a rebuke to myself.


     We must also realize that there is a purpose for the wrong doing people do to us. Whether it's to grow us in our faith in the Lord, or to chastise us, or maybe to humble us. Romans 8:28 says, 'And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are called according to his purpose.' There is a purpose for everything in our lives, though we might understand it now. God is omniscient and knows the true purpose of the now. Genesis 50:19-20 says, 'And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.'

    One thing we need to do, is consider the forgiveness we have in Christ. Even though we sin and still don't want to admit that sin. God still has given us forgiveness. He sent His Son to die and He forgave us those sins on the cross. If we accept and believe that he has saved us we will have eternal life through Jesus Christ.  Jesus is the perfect example of genuine forgiveness. Ephesians 1:7 says, 'In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace.' He took upon himself the sins of the entire world, all the sin we have done, continue to do, and will continue to do. We need to ask ourselves, since I am forgiven, do I forgive others who wrong me? We so many times are forgiven of things we have done and yet we are obstinate and do not forgive others. Ephesians 4:32 says, 'And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.'

    We need to understand that God is our model of true forgiveness. I Peter 4:8 says, 'And above all things have fervent love among yourselves: for love shall cover a multitude of sins.' God so loved us, that He sent His only Son to die for our sins. What love, that covers all of our sins. That's our example we need to follow, someone who forgives seventy times seven.