Thought of the Day !!

If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you.  But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins. – Matthew 6:14-15 (NLT)

Forgiveness is very important to God.  And who would blame Him for this?  After all, look at what He went through to show us forgiveness.  I don't know about you, but I've never gone to such lengths to forgive someone.  I have had to swallow my pride before.  I have had to step out on a limb and trust again.  But I have yet to die for anyone's forgiveness.  What about you? 

These words come immediately after Jesus teaches us how to pray the Lord's Prayer.  I think something we should take notice of is the fact that when he finishes the prayer, there's only one point that he reiterates.  He doesn't mention anything about our daily bread or being led into temptation.  He simply restates the fact that we have to forgive.  

Do you think Jesus is trying to tell us something?  Could it be the fact that in this list of very important things that he's teaching here, that forgiveness is a special attribute that we need to understand?  

Or maybe he just understood the fact that this would be the hardest part of the prayer for most people to digest.  But the fact simply remains.  If we want that great gift from our Father in Heaven, we must be willing to do the same for others here on earth. 

In the love of Christ,

greg