Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” –Matthew 18:21-22 NIV
Many things in life come with a predetermined time frame. Drop a cookie on the floor, and the five second rule kicks in. There’s the three-minute egg, a ten-minute break, and the thirty-minute lunch hour. There’s the seven-day grace period, a thirty-day money back guarantee, and ninety-days same as cash policy.It takes nine months to have a baby, five years to pay off a car, and thirty years for a mortgage. In Matthew 18:21-22 (NIV), Peter thinks he’s being gracious in suggesting that he could forgive someone up to seven times for sinning against him. Jesus, on the other hand, astonishes Peter by explaining that, in Christ, there are no set limitations on forgiveness.The Lord’s expectation is that we will always be forgiving of others. And by the same token, with the Lord, we need not fear that we have sinned one too many times. We all sin, regardless of our good intentions. But, praise our Heavenly Father, who because of Christ, forgives all of our sins and heals all our transgressions!
Lord, help me to forgive others as You have forgiven me.
I praise You, dear Lord, for Your limitless forgiveness.