SATURDAY, November 19

Matthew 18:21-35. And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.

I don’t see God handing any of us over to be tortured, no matter what we have done. That would be inconsistent with other parts of the Bible, including yesterday’s parable of the lost sheep.

It’s true that unforgiving people lack access to God’s forgiving love, but it is not God who denies it. They deny it to themselves. People who hang on to a grudge, resentment, or slight are slaves to it—the grudge, resentment, or slight is actually holding onto them, binding them. Until they are willing to let go of it, to forgive, they cannot experience the freeing love of God.

To forgive is not to forget. It may be impossible to forget some hurts. To forgive is to get on with living, to let the hurt be part of the past and only the past. Then we can find our place in the forgiving arms of God, which are open to every one of us, every moment of every day.

Ps 107:33-43, 108:1-6(7-13) * 33; Isaiah 65:17-25; Revelation 22:14-21

View the daily Lectionary Readings at http://satucket.com/lectionary/

Or view the Bible passages at Biblegateway.com or Oremus Bible browser.

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