THEME:UNFORGIVING SPIRIT
How does mercy and justice go together? The prophet Amos speaks of God forgiving transgression three times, but warns that God may not revoke punishment for the fourth (see Amos 1:3-13; 2:1-6).  When Peter posed the question of forgiveness, he characteristically offered an answer he thought Jesus would be pleased with.  Why not forgive seven times!  How unthinkable for Jesus to counter with the proposition that one must forgive seventy times that.  Jesus made it clear that there is no reckonable limit to forgiveness.  And he drove the lesson home with a parable about two very different kinds of debts.  The first man owed an enormous sum of money -- millions in our currency.  In Jesus' time this amount was greater than the total revenue of a state -- more than it would cost to ransom a king!  The man who was forgiven such an incredible debt could not, however bring himself to forgive his neighbor a very small debt which was about one-hundred-thousandth of his own debt.  The contrast could not have been greater!  No offence our neighbor can do to us can compare with our debt to God! We have been forgiven a debt which is beyond all paying; to ransom our debt of sin God gave up his only begotten Son. If God has forgiven each of us our debt, which was very great, we, too must forgive others the debt they owe us.  Jesus teaches that one must forgive in order to be forgiven. If we do not forgive our fellow man we cannot expect God to forgive us. James says that judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy (James 2:13).  Mercy is truly a gift and it is offered in such a way that justice is not neglected. If we want mercy shown to us we must be ready to forgive others as God has forgiven us. Do you hold any grudge or resentment towards anyone?

PRAYER:Lord, you have been kind and forgiving towards me.  May I be merciful as you are merciful.  Free me from  all bitterness and resentment that I may truly forgive from the heart those who have caused me injury or grief.

Good work piece.