May 1, 2012 (1 Chronicles 14-15; Psalm 132; Matthew 18 )
From the Life Journal of Adam Proux:
Scripture: “That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.” Matthew 18:35 NLT
Observation: What will the heavenly Father do? He will remember what had been forgiven and impose the full penalty. The wicked servant of Jesus’ parable owed the king millions of dollars. When the king called the loan due, the servant pleaded for mercy and ask for more time to pay the loan. The king was moved with compassion toward the servant and let him go and forgave the entire debt. This same servant, who had been forgiven and set free, went out and found someone who owed him a few thousand dollars, grabbed him by the throat and demanded to be paid in full. This man fell at his feet and pleaded for mercy but received none. When the king that had forgiven this wicked servant heard what happened, he called the wicked servant in and judged him by the same measure that he had judged his fellow servant with. This is what the heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.
Application: While God’s love for us is unconditional, according to Matthew 18:35, God’s forgiveness is not. Forgiveness is conditional upon our willingness to forgive those who are indebted to us. We must learn to forgive our brothers and sisters from our heart so that we never jeopardize the forgiveness that God has extended toward us. Because God in His mercy has forgiven all of our sins, we should not withhold mercy and forgiveness from others. If we truly appreciate the forgiveness that God has given to us, then we will demonstrate our thankfulness by forgiving others. True repentance will produce a harvest of mercy springing forth from the seeds of grace that have been sown.
Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for this day. Thank You for your wonderful mercy and grace that provide and protect me everyday! Thank You for Your compassion and forgiveness. May I have compassion toward others and forgive them as You have forgiven me. Keep Your mercy at the forefront of my mind and never allow my feet to stumble onto the dark pathways of wickedness. In Jesus name, Amen!