Sometimes I Feel Like Such a Lousy Mother ~ Remembering Grace
It happened to me this week that a child apologized, even in the form of a love note, and I didn’t forgive. I knew there was no way that the child wouldn’t do the same thing again. Shortly after, my friend Heather linked to a different blog where I read this post.
On Mother-Forgiveness
http://www.generationcedar.com/main/2011/09/on-mother-forgivenss.html
The mother said the following to her child after being tempted to reject an apology from that child, “I’m so sorry. I beg God to forgive me for the same things over and over and–by His grace–I will continue to forgive you over and over as long as I live.”
I was reminded once again to forgive unconditionally. I consider how many times I have repeated the same wrong doing, and still, Christ has forgiven me. I have to remember to forgive, whether or not I hear a heartfelt “sorry” that I know won’t stick. From Colossians, “Even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.” From Luke, “Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”
“Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt. The servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’ But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened. Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.”
Matthew 18:21-35 NIV
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