Good morning Lord Jesus, Help me be present and rest in your love.
Jesus came for the forgiveness of sins. My sins, your sins, the removal of shame and the restoration of life. I read this morning a familiar story in the Gospel of Mark in chapter 2, Jesus forgives the sins of a paralytic man:
“And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”” (Mark 2:4-5)
When I read this passage this morning, for some reason the Holy Spirit wanted to reveal another aspect of this passage and led me to turn my Bible to another passage of Scripture that is familiar to most Christians:
“So pray this way:
Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored,
may your kingdom come,
may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts, as we ourselves have forgiven our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
“For if you forgive others their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive you your sins.” (Matthew 6:9-13)
When Jesus forgives someone’s sins, like those of the paralytic man, he does not just forgive the sins the paralytic man committed against Himself, but the also the sins the man committed against others. He forgives all sins. The paralytic man may have wronged another person in that house with him and Jesus. He may have lied to them, cheated them, or hurt them in some other sinful act. And that person the man did a sinful act may still be hurt, mad at him, and refusing to forgive him, but when Jesus forgave the paralytic man, he forgave him for the sins he committed against others. When Jesus forgives the sins of your neighbors, he forgives not only the sins they committed before God, but also the sins they committed against you. Whether you forgave them or not. Think about that.
We wrestle with and think it is hard to forgive others who hurt us or our family. Think about standing in for and forgiving a person for hurting another person. That is what Jesus does. When we say the Lord’s prayer we claim, “may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
Jesus forgives a person with a penitent heart that ask for forgiveness. Forgiveness is God’s will, so that forgiveness is completed in heaven. Jesus then looks at us and asks us to act on what we preach and pray, and to forgive as well and to do on earth as He dd on earth, and in heaven. One of the greatest Christ like abilities and characteristics that is given to Christians, is the ability to forgive.
My family, I pray over you the words you pray many times over yourself, “Jesus, may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” I pray you do on earth what has already been done in heaven, and forgive those who have sinned against you, in Jesus name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
I would love for you to please share your reflections with myself or others using the comment box below.
My wife Nancy and I are in a new season of our ministry of pouring completely into planting and growing simple house churches in our neighborhoods, and having “boots on the ground” serving in our community.. Please pray over this season in my life and that of my family. Please partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758. Thank You Thank You!
