HAPPINESS IN FORGIVING (08-11-13)

Matthew 18:32-33

I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to.  Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?

Forgiveness.  Easy to say that you have forgiven someone, but really hard to do, that is, forgiving from the heart – forgiving and forgetting.

And yet, we have experienced it first-hand when Jesus took the cross and died for all our sins.  Jesus Christ humbled himself, became man, and died the death of a criminal.  In so doing, he received upon himself the totality of the wrath that was against all who trust in him.

Practice forgiveness.  I, myself, have a lot of catching up to do here.  Start in the home.  Husbands and wives must practice it.  Parents and children must practice it.  As families practice this, there will be no separation nor will family be destroyed.  Forgiveness in the home will result in healthy families.

Practice forgiveness at the work place.  Do not become bitter toward your employer and fellow workers.  Do not keep score of the offenses of those around you.

And in forgiveness comes joy.  When we repent and receive Christ’s forgiveness, we experience a different kind of happiness.  This joy is as abundant, as rich and as unlimited as the Lord's abundant forgiveness of us.  And by letting others experience this same joy, we must learn to forgive from the heart.

Let us pray +

Almighty Father, forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.  Solidify our understanding of forgiveness as you have done for us.

Amen +

Our help is in the name of the Lord.