Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Praying to Forgive

Mark 11:20-25 (ESV)
As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. [21] And Peter remembered and said to him, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered." [22] And Jesus answered them, "Have faith in God. [23] Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. [24] Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. [25] And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses."

“Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that you Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.” People are always saying we should pray for forgiveness. I don’t find that anywhere in scripture actually. This is as close as it gets, and it isn’t that we should pray for forgiveness, but the ability to forgive. That is probably the best thing to pray for on any given day, that we would be able to forgive those with whom we hold grudges. We do this because it is what god does for us. He forgives us , and having forgiven us. We are righteous, but the most righteous thing we can do, is forgive. It is what our righteous god does for us.

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