Intro:
This is one of the most challenging parts of the Lord’s Prayer today. Therefore one of the most important. Allow the Lord to speak to you today in a way that frees you to experience Him afresh.
Opening Prayer:
Lord help me today to have an open heart to you allowing you to speak into my life in a way that frees me to receive and give your love more fully. Thank you Jesus.
Amen
Bible Verse:
“And forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us”
Matthew 6:12 (NIV)
Reflection:
It’s a challenging passage today. It starts with you and I needing to confess our sins. To acknowledge that we need forgiveness for wrong things we have done. Where we have missed the mark. (The NT Greek translation for “sins” means “missed the mark”.)
This is challenging isn’t it? Pause for a moment and draw near to the Lord yourself.
Ask God to forgive you for wrong things you have said or done.
And sometimes even harder is the next part…we are to forgive thise who have sinned against us. Who do you need to forgive today? Maybe for yesterday or last week. Or maybe for sometime in the past. Who do you need to forgive?
I’m reminded of two elderly family members of mine who had held a grudge towards one another for 9 years. By God’s amazing grace I was able to be a bridge to enable them to truly forgive each other. The result: much more peaceful living in the house they shared…and miraculously each of them a few years later gave their hearts to the Lord, in their 80’s. It’s never too late to forgive and to ask the Lord to forgive you.
Prayer:
Lord, forgive me for those things you and I both know separate me from you.
And help me to forgive those who have hurt me, let me down or even maliciously harmed me. Help me Lord to forgive them. You deal with them, Lord. You do that so much better than I can. Lead them to repent also and turn to you.
Thank you Lord Jesus.
Amen
