Our Daily Devotion for February 15th, 2021

21 Then Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, how many times should I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Should I forgive as many as seven times?”  22 Jesus said, “Not just seven times, but rather as many as seventy-seven times.[a] 23 Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began to settle accounts, they brought to him a servant who owed him ten thousand bags of gold.[b] 25 Because the servant didn’t have enough to pay it back, the master ordered that he should be sold, along with his wife and children and everything he had, and that the proceeds should be used as payment. 26 But the servant fell down, kneeled before him, and said, ‘Please, be patient with me, and I’ll pay you back.’ 27 The master had compassion on that servant, released him, and forgave the loan.
28 “When that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him one hundred coins.[c] He grabbed him around the throat and said, ‘Pay me back what you owe me.’ 29 “Then his fellow servant fell down and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I’ll pay you back.’ 30 But he refused. Instead, he threw him into prison until he paid back his debt. 31 “When his fellow servants saw what happened, they were deeply offended. They came and told their master all that happened. 32 His master called the first servant and said, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you appealed to me. 33 Shouldn’t you also have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’ 34 His master was furious and handed him over to the guard responsible for punishing prisoners, until he had paid the whole debt.
35 “My heavenly Father will also do the same to you if you don’t forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”      Matthew 18: 21-35
 
This parable speaks of the idea that here on earth, we need to be forgiving of others who sin against us. We cannot and should expect God to forgive us if we cannot do this. We are forgiven through faith in Jesus and by God’s grace in our lives. Being able to forgive others is what happens when you have been truly saved.
 
Let us pray please – Holy and loving God , help us to understand how important it is for us to be forgiving of others who hurt us. We must not want revenge or want to get back at them, No, help us to know that forgiving them is the right thing to do, always. Your forgiveness of us, God, is the greatest of all, and we thank you. In Jesus’ name we pray…..Amen.
Yours in Christ  ,  Rollie 

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