The Daily Word: Monday, January 28th, 2019
Exodus 5:22-7:25
Matthew 18:21-19:12
Psalm 23:1-6
Proverbs 5:22-23
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Commentary from Pastor Michael White:
Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. – Matt 18:21-22
Forgiveness has no limits. Peter was asking Jesus a fair question: how many times should we forgive someone before they don’t get another “second” chance? How often should we forgive someone before our patience runs out? If someone can’t get their act together, when is it time to just cut them off?
Jesus response was: more times than you think! There is no limit to forgiveness. Jesus answers by multiplying Peter’s expectation; but of course the implication is that even if we exceed 490 instances of forgiving our brother (“seventy times seven”), we should still keep forgiving him.
How many times have you “messed up” and owed God an apology? Is it more than seven? More than seventy times seven? The answer is more than once every day: tens of thousands of times!
Yet in spite of your imperfection, God forgives you. Shouldn’t we forgive others the same way?
Prayer:
Father, help me to forgive others. Your forgiveness is infinite, and I am so grateful. Help me to show the same level of forgiveness to others – even when they don’t deserve it! – in Jesus’ name.
Archives
See commentary from this day in 2014.
See commentary from this day in 2015.
See commentary from this day in 2016.
See commentary from this day in 2017.
See commentary from this day in 2018.
© Michael D. White, 2019. All rights reserved.