TUESDAY, MARCH 9, 2010 - THIRD WEEK OF LENT


DANIEL 3:25, 34-43        
         
Azariah stood up in the fire and prayed aloud:

“For your name’s sake, O Lord, do not deliver us up forever, or make void your covenant.  Do not take away your mercy from us, for the sake of Abraham, your beloved, Isaac your servant, and Israel your holy one, To whom you promised to multiply their offspring like the stars of heaven, or the sand on the shore of the sea. For we are reduced, O Lord, beyond any other nation, brought low everywhere in the world this day because of our sins. We have in our day no prince, prophet, or leader, no burnt offering, sacrifice, oblation, or incense, no place to offer first fruits, to find favor with you. But with contrite heart and humble spirit let us be received; As though it were burnt offerings of rams and bullocks, or thousands of fat lambs, So let our sacrifice be in your presence today as we follow you unreservedly; for those who trust in you cannot be put to shame.  And now we follow you with our whole heart, we fear you and we pray to you. Do not let us be put to shame, but deal with us in your kindness and great mercy. Deliver us by your wonders, and bring glory to your name, O Lord.”
         
          +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

LUKE 4:24-30                    
         
Peter approached Jesus and asked him, “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him?  As many as seven times?”

Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy times seven times. That is why the Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who decided to settle accounts with his servants. When he began the accounting, a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount. Since he had no way of paying it back, his master ordered him to be sold, along with his wife, his children, and all his property, in payment of the debt.  At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.’  Moved with compassion the master of that servant let him go and forgave him the loan.  When that servant had left, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a much smaller amount.  He seized him and started to choke him, demanding, ‘Pay back what you owe.'  Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’ But he refused.  Instead, he had him put in prison until he paid back the debt.  Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were deeply disturbed, and went to their master and reported the whole affair.  His master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! 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?’  Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt.  So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives your brother from your heart.”        

                       +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++     
            
Seventy times seven!  That's a lot of forgiveness.  Peter thought he was being generous when he offered to forgive his brother seven times.  Jesus, however, says that that isn't even close.  He then tells a parable about the Kingdom and God. 

For some reason, in some way, God has limited his ability to forgive us.  We pray in the Lord's Prayer for God to forgive us as we forgive others.  In this parable, Jesus is insinuating that if we do not forgive others, God will not forgive us.  God, somehow, will be unable to forgive us if we are unable to forgive others.  That calls for serious thought on our part.

How often have we been offended?  Who is the person who bothers us the most?  How often have we forgiven that person?  Now think about how often we ask for God's forgiveness.  Have we forgiven anybody as often as we have asked for God's forgiveness?  If we added up all the times we have forgiven all the people who have offended us in some way, would it come close to the number of times we have asked for forgiveness from God? 

God has forgiven us time and time again.  What he asks is that we forgive others.  We are not left to our own efforts either.  The Holy Spirit enables us to forgive as God forgives, but we have to want to.  The Spirit empowers us to allow God's forgiveness to flow through us to those who have harmed us.  And when we forgive others, we are also cleansed in the process.

                               ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Heavenly Father, teach to me how to forgive as you forgive.  I am weak, and when I am hurt my flesh calls for revenge.  Fill me with your love and forgiveness that I may love and forgive others.