Pray:
9 “This, then, is how you should pray:
“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.’
Matthew 6:9-13 (NIV)
Read:
She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
Matthew 1:21 (NIV)
12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.
13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.
Colossians 2:12-14 (NIV)
Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
Colossians 3:13 (NIV)
Forgiveness is the hallmark of Christianity. Without forgiveness, we are just another group of people trying to make ourselves acceptable to ourselves, others and ultimately to God. We are trying to pay the debt created by our sin. What we find is that this is impossible. There is nothing we can do that will make up for the wrongs we have committed. When we attempt to do penance for our misdeeds, we find the debt only becoming louder and more demanding. Jesus came in order to bring forgiveness. He taught, performed miracles and went to the cross in order to bring about forgiveness and the resulting repair in relationship. We are forgiven because of what He has done for us. This is the Christmas story. In turn, forgiveness is not just something we receive, but something we give. We live humbly in forgiveness and in turn we are to forgive others. We are to give to others what we have received. We are to be repenters and forgivers.
Pray:
10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
Psalm 51:10-12 (NIV)
Lord,
I have sinned in thought and deed. I have had wrong ways of thinking and done wrong things. In addition, I have sought redemption by my own strength. Forgive me. As You have forgiven me, give me a heart to forgive others. Remind me that just because it is hard, and must be done over and over, that I am still to continue to forgive. Make me able to forgive. Today I choose to forgive___________ and give this to You so that I might be able to carry out forgiveness by Your strength. Fill me with Your love for not just my friends, but also for those who oppose me and have hurt me.
Amen