Forgiven

​10/2/20
Today’s devotion for today is based on Matthew 18:27, “The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.”
The servant in Jesus’ story owed his master a debt he could never possibly repay. But, as he so often did, Jesus concluded his story with a shocking ending. The master took pity on his servant, canceled his debt, and let him go.
Jesus used this story to illustrate what our God has done for us. We have racked up debt with him that we could never possibly pay. That’s how the Bible describes our sins against God—as spiritual debt. Jesus wants us to understand that we could never possibly make up for what we have done wrong.
But he could. And he did. Jesus paid our debt in full when he went to the cross. He suffered what we should have suffered for our sins. And, because he did, God forgives what we owe him. Every time you and I have lied, cheated, stolen, been selfish or uncaring—that debt is canceled. Every single time you and I have failed to fear God, to love God, to trust in God—that debt is canceled. The only thing we can do is forgive others as we are forgiven.  To do otherwise is to reject Christ’s forgiveness.
Please pray with me the prayer for today:  Heavenly Father, creator, and sustainer of all things, seen and unseen, thank you for your saving love and your willingness to pay my debt in full. Remind me of what you have done every time I refuse to respond toward others as God would want us to forgive. In Jesus’ blessed name, I pray. Amen.