When Jesus teaches us to pray, in Matthew 6…he says a very important line…
“9 “Pray, then, in this way:
‘Our Father, who is in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
10
‘Your kingdom come,
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
11
‘Give us this day our daily bread.
12
‘And forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven our debtors [letting go of both the wrong and the resentment].
13
‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.]’
He says “as”
Forgive us as we forgive …
Our being forgiven is tied to our forgiving others…
Forgive us just as we forgive others…
We are praying that to God….
It shouldn’t be taken lightly …
It’s a pretty big deal…
As husbands Scripture commands us to love our wives …meaning …
It’s not a feeling …
It’s entirely within our control…
We are commanded to love…
When Christ left earth he said he would send us his spirit …
Other verses say if you pray God will answer and fill you with his Holy Spirit ….
Notice we are not like the Old Testament prophets or kings …
Waiting for his spirit to come upon us…
We are FILLED with HIS Spirit ….
We have an experience with God that is unlike any generation….unlike Samson unlike David in the wilderness …in the stronghold ….
Praying to be back in the temple ….so he could worship ….
We…we are filled with his spirit ….
We shouldn’t take it for granted …
Maybe that in itself is a sin….
Certainly a foothold….
As fathers …we set an example …
And time is running out …
Our children will leave one day…
Shouldn’t they be ready …
Not sent out to discover themselves
Or trial and error …
But ready…
And when we pray the Lord’s Prayer …
Shouldn’t we be mindful of what we are saying …
“Forgive us lord in the same way we forgive …”
We have been forgiven much…
We all have sinned …
No one is innocent ….
We all were made in his image …
And he gave salvation for us all…
Forgive….for we have been forgiven ….
- E