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Friday January 31 - Mutual forgiveness
“For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly
Father will also forgive you.” Matthew 6:14
To receive gifts from others we need to have open hands to hold them. Closed fists can receive nothing. This simple illustration gets to the heart of this hard saying of Jesus. Is it really possible that God would refuse to forgive me if I don’t forgive others?
It is a terrible thing to hold a grudge against someone else and refuse to forgive them, but the greatest damage is frequently done not to the offender but to the person holding on to the hurt. As we nurse our wounded pride so we poison our souls. In such a state are we capable of receiving the forgiveness that God would offer us?
Jesus modelled forgiveness for us. He forgave and reinstated Peter after he disowned him. He forgave the soldiers who hammered the nails into him. He forgives all who turn to him, even though it was our sins that put him on the cross. And as Jesus models forgiveness to us, so we are to model forgiveness to others. Forgiveness is not easy. Some things are so terrible that I cannot imagine how they can be forgiven but somehow, through God’s grace, we must try. It is in our practice of forgiving others that we can become free to receive God’s forgiveness for our own sins.
Heavenly Father, show me where I still hold on to things that I need to forgive and allow me to be free so that I can receive your blessings. Amen.
Saturday February 1 - Furtively fasting
“But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting...” Matthew 6:17-18
Just as Jesus’ disciples are to pray in secret without making a ‘song and dance’ about it, so it is also when they fast. Although Christians may fast less than they pray, fasting remains an important spiritual discipline for Jesus’ disciples. He assumes that his disciples will fast, which is why he warns them against appearing overly gloomy.
Going without food for a day saps our energy levels. Our eyes lose a little bit of their sparkle and our skin loses a little bit of its shine. In a culture where fasting would have been more common, it would be easy to spot those who had not eaten, especially if they were going out of their way to make sure that you noticed!
So once again Jesus’ disciples are told to go to the other extreme. They are to polish their faces and look cheery. I expect that Jesus fasted regularly, but we are told that one of the biggest criticisms against him was that he was a glutton and a drinker (Matthew 11:19)!
Whether we pray, fast, sing worship songs, read the Bible in a year or anything else, the important thing is that we do this for God’s glory and not so that others see us. As soon as we are aware that we have an audience, the danger is that we will start doing things with half an eye to those watching us.
Lord Jesus, please help my inner, unseen, life with you to grow in genuine depth and intimacy. Amen.
PRAYER FOR TODAY
PRAYER FOR TODAY
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