Devotion for 19 June - Relationships

A brief prayer is offered that you can add to your daily prayers this week. The scripture is from our Sunday Service Bulletin for today.  We are continuing a sermon series on relationships. Last week was about our relationship with God. This week we talk about how that relationship with God enhances our relationships in our circle of friends and family.

GOSPEL READING Matthew 18: 21-22 (English Standard Version)

Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.

Devotion: Accepting an Apology You Never Got

There is a bit of symbolism in our text today, please let me explain a bit. Rabbinic discussion in the days of Peter said that 3 times was the limit of forgiveness. In verse 21, possibly Peter is rejecting this and offering up 7 [symbolizing perfection] times as perfect forgiveness. Jesus’ response is saying you need to be beyond perfection. As God’s mercy is without limit than forgiveness should be infinite. In our sermon today we emphasized three things that typify Christians [or at least should!] that can enhance earthly relations: 1- forgiveness, 2- love, and 3- truthfulness. Wouldn’t it be great if all the people that you associated with were very good at those three things? You can start it all by being that person! Here is a quote from Mahatma Gandhi: “The weak can never forgive, forgiveness is the attribute of the strong”.  You may be amazed at the cleansing effects of being strong enough to accept an apology you never got!

We pray: Lord grant us forgiveness and help us speak the truth in love. Amen