Forgive us our Debts ...the Wayfarer 11/29/16

Forgive us our Debts
11/29/16

Matthew 6:9-15

King James Version (KJV)

⁹ After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

¹⁰ Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

¹¹ Give us this day our daily bread.

¹² And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

¹³ And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

¹⁴ For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:

¹⁵ But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

At a local church service I was recently blessed to find a reminder of this precious, oft repeated and well known bit of scripture put into practice, as it was intended to be, as the pastor stood before the congregation and related an occurrence that affected both himself and those gathered.

It seems that he had been visited by an officer of the local police, who had come to inform him of the fact of a theft of church property for which he was responsible.

The card used for the convenience of the church to buy gasoline for its van had been taken and used, without authorization by someone outside the church, unknown to any within the church as became apparent when asked about it.

The visit by the officer was to have charges filed against this person, again unknown to the pastor, in order to prosecute an obvious crime committed against both the pastor, and those of the membership of the church.

The pastor began by first taking responsibility of not having properly secured that card, then continuing on to question the validity of any prosecution of the case, whether anyone actually would benefit from such prosecution, or whether such prosecution of what, was in fact a small amount charged to the card, could possibly be of value in the accused’s future life.

He, in effect, asked for blessing on action he had already taken toward forgiving the theft of the card, rather than prosecution of that theft.

Having gone a step beyond not prosecuting by attaining both name and address of the individual involved, the intent became one of teaching someone, that is hopefully teachable, and reaching out with the efficacy of forgiveness that prosecution would have possibly put out of reach.

Over the years, I have seen few such actions taken, and many of the opposite kind taken by both individuals and groups of individuals who somehow failed to comprehend the gravity of the forgiveness given us by Christ Jesus.

It is that gravity that must first reside within the hearts of those, who, having accepted that forgiveness that allows us to comprehend and follow the single commandment given us by Him.

When Christ is placed first, in thought and action, all else must be secondary and subservient to that commandment.

Souls take precedence over monetary loss, and should take precedence over gain as well, as the gain of a soul is far more precious than material gain.

Luke 15:3-7King James Version (KJV)

³ And he spake this parable unto them, saying,

⁴ What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?

⁵ And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

⁶ And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.

⁷ I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

Amen and Amen

the Wayfarer