Matthew 6: 12 "And forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors."  To this need.. that the Father know before we ask.. Jesus adds a commentary.. "For if you forgive men for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions." ( v14-15) 

Forgive - to lay aside.. to send away..to let go.  The debt? Something owed.  It could be a lapse, a slip, an error, a sin, an offense... a failure.  What debt do we owe God?  So great a debt that we can never repay.  For every sin, for every failure, for every doubt.. for every time we have offended Him, dishonored His name, and chose our own will over His. 

Yet.. He has chosen to forgive us. His grace is like a roof, Max Lucado writes in The Great House of God. He likens our debts to a bank account that has been overdrawn. We write a check and it bounces and the words "Insufficient funds".. is stamped in Red Ink.  But God.. has paid the debt for us. His Grace is sufficient !  Christ  Jesus.. paid it all!  Every time we fail.. which we do.. He draws us back and reminds us.... confess.. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  We simply ask.. ".. forgive us our debts.. " and He does. 

It is because of this that we can forgive "our debtors".  We can let go.. of our resentment.. of our anger.. of our hatred.. of our hurt and pain.  Because of His grace.. we are able to lay aside our "rights" to what is owed.. and let it go.  We can.. and it is His will that we do so. But... 

It is not an easy thing sometimes.. to let go of the debt. It can be costly.  It cost Jesus His life.. His blood poured out on the cross.. His back slashed by the Roman whip.. His head pierced by the thorns shoved on His brow.  It may cost us too.. our pride.. our self.. our possessions..  But, it costs even more to hold onto that debt.. unforgiveness can become putrid.. poisoning our own hearts. 

Max Lucado says that there is a "high cost to getting even".   We pay the price of broken relationships. We pay the price of physical  suffering as anger and resentment affects our well being.  But, most of all we pay a high price spiritually.  Just as sin puts a block between me and the one who has caused me harm.. this sin of unforgiveness puts a block between me and the One who has so freely shown me complete forgiveness through Jesus Christ the Savior. 

Lucado uses a wonderful illustration of what it looks like when we truly forgive.. when we treat our neighbor in the way we want them to treat us.. when we show them the mercy that God has shown us. He says it is like God is sending you to the store to buy your neighbors groceries.  Whatever you purchase for your neighbor is exactly what you receive yourself.  So, he says, it's easy to choose the things we like best and buy those for the neighbor .. knowing this is what you will get too.  But, what happens if your neighbor offends you?  You go to the store and buy the worse things you can think of.. "anchovies and sardines.. day old bread with green spots on the edge." You think you have repaid him for his offense.. but when you get home and open your own cupboard.. there are the sardines and anchovies and moldy bread.   Max writes, "Some of you have been eating sardines for a long time... Could it be God is giving you exactly what you're giving someone else?"  No wonder you are cranky!

Father in heaven, You have called us to be Your children and to do Your will.. Your "good and acceptable and perfect will." ( Romans 12:2). Transform us by renewing our minds... that we no longer be conformed to the kingdom of this world.. where there is no mercy or forgiveness or healing.  But, cleanse us of all unrighteousness, that the fulness of Your kingdom in us will be complete.. You reign over us.. in us.. and as we let go of every debt.. Your Kingdom is proclaimed through us.. to a world that is in desperate need of Your grace.  Thank You for this Word today.  Have Your way in us and in our nation.. and in our world today we ask, in Jesus' name. Amen.