Read Matthew 18:23-27
Discover
1. In the parable Jesus tells to drive home forgiveness, what words does He use to describe the predicament of the servant?
2. The servant thinks he can repay the debt. Instead of giving him more time, how does the master respond?
3. What is the master’s heart behind his action?
Respond
1. Enter into some time with God now as the servant with the unpayable debt. How are you like him? Taking the posture of the servant, confess your own sin to God. Meditate on these verses to help guide your time.
2. The gospel isn’t just that you’ve been forgiven. Your old self dies and is replaced with the righteousness of Jesus! The ability and willingness to forgive is one of the defining characteristics of being a new creation in Him. Tell God now that you can’t forgive in your own power – you need Him to work a miracle in and through you.
For Further Reading: What Does It Mean to Be a New Creation?
For Families with Kids at Home
As parents you won’t be with your kids every minute of the day and it’s a scary feeling to think about how they will experience hurts that you won’t see or know about. Today, pray that your kids wouldn’t look to their own strength to forgive, but that they would allow God to give them the strength to forgive others.