Devotions based on James Smith’s book, The Good and Beautiful Community

As we practice forgiveness and reconciliation, we will find our own selves being healed. The student mentioned yesterday didn’t forgive in order to feel better but feeling better he was able to forgive.  His heart was changed by the good news that his sins were forgiven. He told James Smith that since God had forgiven him ALL of his sins, then he figured he would forgive the one who had abused him.  Isn’t it true that we have been forgiven so much more than we will ever be called on to forgive?   In Matt 18:23-27 we have the story of the king who forgave the one who owed him 10,000 talents. Yet that slave went out and had his fellow slave thrown into prison because he couldn’t pay his debt that was 600,000 times less. God is like that king and we are like the man who couldn’t pay his debt. We can never hope to earn His forgiveness. Our sins are too great and we have nothing with which to repay. The man did nothing to merit his forgiven debt and neither do we. Let us meditate on how much we have been forgiven and it will help us forgive others.