Our Daily Bread April 16
Extending Mercy / By: Amy Boucher Pye If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them.
Luke 17:3
Today's Scripture & Insight:
Luke 17:1–5 (NIV):
1 Jesus said to his disciples: “Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come. 2 It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble. 3 So watch yourselves.
“If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. 4 Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.”
5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”
Reflecting on how she forgave Manasseh, the man who killed her husband and some of her children in the Rwandan genocide, Beata said, “My forgiving is based on what Jesus did. He took the punishment for every evil act throughout all time. His cross is the place we find victory—the only place!” Manasseh had written to Beata from prison more than once, begging her—and God—for forgiveness as he detailed the regular nightmares that plagued him. At first she could extend no mercy, saying she hated him for killing her family. But then “Jesus intruded into her thoughts,” and with God’s help, some two years later, she forgave him.
In this, Beata followed Jesus’ instruction to His disciples to forgive those who repent. He said that even if they “sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them” (Luke 17:4). But to forgive can be extremely difficult, as we see by the disciples’ reaction: “Increase our faith!” (v. 5).
Beata’s faith increased as she wrestled in prayer over her inability to forgive. If, like her, we’re struggling to forgive, we can ask God through His Holy Spirit to help us to do so. As our faith increases, He helps us to forgive.
Today’s Hymns:
Forgiveness
A Heart That Forgives
Scripture to Respond:
Mark 11:25
And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”
Ephesians 4:32
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Reflection:
When you have hurt someone deeply but then are willing to repent sincerely, how would you like Lord Jesus and those you hurt to treat you?
If someone has hurt you deeply but then apologizes to you sincerely, how would you respond? Are you willing to forgive him?
We won’t be able to forgive others unless we deeply understand how God forgives us unconditionally.
Prayer:
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for you willingly died on the Cross for our sins so as to deliver us from sin. Through this, I have experienced your unconditional forgiveness and the peace of such forgiveness. Glory be to you! Please help me learn to forgive those who have hurt me.
Wong Wai Tung (Chief executive officer of The Great Wall Education Foundation) & Sam Chow (Administrative officer of The Great Wall Education Foundation) Reflection and Prayer translated by Jenny Hung
“The content of this article is taken from Our Daily Bread. Copyright by Our Daily Bread Ministries. Used by permission.”
