As we forgive them that trespass against us."
Really? Did Jesus really mean this, do we really believe this? How can I even repeat these words with a straight face. In this prayer I would be comparing myself to God. I am going to forgive others the same way he has forgiven me.
I think about all the things that he has forgiven me for. Things that I have knowingly done and then the things I have unknowingly done, yet he has forgiven me for all of them. How can I ever begin to compare my forgiveness to his forgiveness. Yet this is how Jesus taught us to pray.
I love that there is no qualifications on this. It does not say, "As we forgive those that have sinned against us and properly apologized to us and repented before God." It does not say all that, it just says "As I forgive them."
That is hard, I still remember a kid in junior high that walked up to me in the church van, and punched me in the face. Sometimes I still think about that and have to hand it back to God. It is much easier to think that I am a lot bigger now, and I could give him a little payback. But it does not work that way, I guess this all part of being Christ like.
Christ knew that on our own we do not have the capability to forgive like he does. That means that this is just one more way we must rely on him. Remember that our goal as Christians is not to be so good that we don't need Christ anymore, it is to rely on God more completely everyday.
Who do you need to forgive that you cannot forgive on your own. In faith pray "Forgive me my trespasses, as I forgive those that have trespassed against me." Trust that God has heard your prayers and that he can do a work in you, that you yourself cannot do.
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Pastor Chris
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