Page 5 - 14 March 2025

THE REPORTER 14 MARCH 2025 · PAGE 5

knees before him. "Be
patient with me," he begged,
"and I will pay back
everything." The servant's
master took pity on him,
cancelled the debt and let
him go. But when that
servant went out, he found
Persistent in forgiveness. your bondage is undone. one of his fellow servants
Often, we look at what Jesus There's a saying that who owed him a hundred
said here and we imagine 'unforgiveness is like you silver coins. He grabbed him
mourning into dancing; You having to forgive the same d r i n k i n g p o i s o n a n d and began to choke him.
have put off my sackcloth person over and over again expecting the other person to "Pay back what you owe me!"
and clothed me with for various transgressions die'. You're the one who he demanded. His fellow
gladness...' (NKJV). And let's against us. However, I believe suffers, who gets eaten up, servant fell to his knees and
also remember the words this teaching has a wider while the one who hurt you begged him, "Be patient with
f r o m I s a i a h 6 1 : 2 - 3 , application. There are times can seemingly be totally fine. me, and I will pay it back."
As we know, many Christians may have started with joy but declaring the mandate of in life when we practise Be persistent and freedom But he refused. Instead, he
fast during Lent, and in ended up being 'burnt', Christ to the world: 'To forgiving someone and, as will come. went off and had the man
some expressions of church, decimated. comfort all who mourn, and we do, a freedom comes, a A prayer to make: Dear thrown into prison until he
believers may even begin We all have ash in our lives, provide for those who grieve weight is lifted from us. Yet, Lord, give me the grace to could pay the debt. When the
Lent by marking the sign of and we can acknowledge the in Zion - to bestow on them a other times, we forgive with forgive, the determination to other servants saw what had
the cross on their foreheads. areas of ash, but we don't crown of beauty instead of the same genuineness and not give up, and not give in. happened, they were
The mark is made with the have to stay sitting in the ashes, the oil of joy instead believe we are free, but later Lead me by Your Holy Spirit outraged and went and told
ashes of burnt palm leaves ashes. In Psalm 30:11 we're of mourning, and a garment there is a sense of a struggle to forgive as many times as I their master everything that
from the previous year's encouraged that God turns of praise instead of a spirit of under the weight of need to until freedom had happened. Then the
Palm Sunday celebrations. our mourning into dancing: despair.' unforgiveness. A sense of comes. In Jesus' name. master called the servant in.
"You wicked servant," he
The palms are a reminder of 'You have turned for me my Today is Day One, not of a personal hurt rears its head Amen. said, "I cancelled all that debt
in later weeks and months, or
the branches laid on the mourning into dancing; You countdown to the end of a even years. Further study: of yours because you begged
ground as Jesus entered have put off my sackcloth fast, but of a pilgrimage. me to. Shouldn't you have
Jerusalem, as the crowds and clothed me with Let's have a heart attitude We can ask the Question, Matthew 18:21-25: Then had mercy on your fellow
sang, 'Hosanna!' And so the gladness...' (NKJV). And let's that embraces the intimate 'Lord, how many times do I Peter came to Jesus and servant just as I had on you?"
a s h e s g a v e u s ' A s h also remember the words journey of walking daily with have to forgive this one thing asked, 'Lord, how many In anger his master handed
W e d n e s d a y ' . A s h from Isaiah. Christ, having our minds until I'm permanently free of times shall I forgive my him over to the jailers to be
Wednesday is the beginning Although, today, many of us opened to the light of Scrip- its power?' I believe Jesus' brother or sister who sins tortured, until he should pay
of the forty-day period of may not partake in the ture and our hearts cleansed words are meant for this against me? Up to seven back all he owed. This is how
fasting, when we give up practice of using ashes on from all that pollutes and s i t u a t i o n m o r e t h a n times?' Jesus answered, 'I tell my heavenly Father will treat
certain food, comforts, or Ash Wednesday, I think it is hinders our relationship and anything: 'I tell you, not seven you, not seven times, but each of you unless you
luxuries to focus on all that good for us to ask the walk with God. times, but seventy-seven s e v e n t y- s e v e n t i m e s . forgive your brother or sister
Christ did for us on the cross. Question, 'Where is there Ask the question: 'What are times'(v22). Keep forgiving, 'Therefore, the kingdom of from your heart.'
We read in the Bible that ash in my own life?' We can the ashes I sit in that Jesus even if it takes seventy-seven heaven is like a king who Romans 5:3-5: Not only so,
times until you feel you are
wanted to settle accounts
when God's people were in make space to reflect on the wants to lift me out of?' Just free from holding the hurt but we also glory in our
mourning, they would throw past year and face any areas sit quietly and ponder this for anymore. Imagine multiple with his servants. As he sufferings, because we know
ashes over themselves and of mourning in our own lives; a while. cords wrapped around you - began the settlement, a man that suffering produces
who owed him ten thousand
sit in sackcloth. Although, to recognise the things that A prayer to make: Reveal as you persistently forgive, perseverance; perseverance,
today, many of us may not may have started with joy but where there are ashes in my the cords break one by one. bags of gold was brought to character; and character,
him. Since he was not able to
partake in the practice of ended up being 'burnt', life, the places into which You may not notice this hope. And hope does not put
using ashes on Ash decimated. You want to bring release happening, but the day will pay, the master ordered that us to shame, because God's
he and his wife and his
Wednesday, I think it is good We all have ash in our lives, and breathe life. Take my come when that last cord is love has been poured out into
for us to ask the Question, and we can acknowledge the ashes, as I receive Your cut as you bring your heart to children and all that he had our hearts through the Holy
be sold to repay the debt. At
'Where is there ash in my areas of ash, but we don't beauty and Your joy, and the table of forgiveness, and Spirit, who has been given to
own life?' We can make have to stay sitting in the teach me to dance again. this the servant fell on his us.
space to reflect on the past ashes. In Psalm 30:11 we're Amen.
year and face any areas of encouraged that God turns Further Study: Mark 11:1-
mourning in our own lives; to our mourning into dancing: 10; Esther 4:2 4; Mark 11:6
recognise the things that 'You have turned for me my 10.