Page 50 - Living Light 89

Friday July 25 - Being forgiven and forgiving
“when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” Mk 11:25
Mark does not include in his gospel the Lord’s prayer (you can find it in Matthew 6 and Luke 11), but there is an intriguing glimpse of it in these verses from chapter 11. Immediately after Jesus teaches his disciples to ask anything in faith from God, he then goes on to tell them the importance of forgiving others, so that their heavenly Father may also forgive them.
For Jesus, asking things of God in prayer goes hand in hand with an attitude of forgiveness towards others. After all, how can we open our hearts to God and ask him to pour his blessings on us, if those same hearts are closed to a neighbour who has wronged us? The same hands that are stretched out in prayer are clenched as fists when we fail to forgive. And if we cannot forgive others then how can we then receive the forgiveness that God has for us?
Forgiveness is no easy matter. Sometimes I think moving a mountain might be a good deal easier than forgiving someone who has hurt us deeply. And because forgiveness can be difficult and costly, it may sometimes take time, patience and much prayer. We need the help and example of Jesus, whose outstretched hands on the cross serve as a sign of his forgiveness for us.
Lord Jesus, as I receive your forgiveness that cost you everything, so may I forgive anyone who has hurt me this day. Amen.
Saturday July 26 - Who do you think you are?
“By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave you authority to do this?” Mark 11:28
Imagine if one day I walked into the local police station and started giving orders to everyone around, charging some people with offences whilst releasing others from the cells. Before being arrested, I feel sure that I would be challenged with, “Who do you think you are?” In reality, I’d either be delusional, believing that I was a police officer, or I’d be a mischief-maker out to cause trouble!
For the chief priests, this is what the upstart travelling preacher from Nazareth seems to be doing. He was not a member of the Jewish priesthood, and (as far as we know) did not possess any qualifications that would allow him to do the things that he was doing or say the things that he was saying. Nevertheless, here he was, causing havoc in the temple, healing people through divine power and preaching the love and forgiveness of God. “Who do you think you are?” they ask; “Who gave you permission to do all this?”
Jesus answers cleverly, trapping them by applying the same questions to John the Baptist (v 30). And so the question is left hanging – who does Jesus think he is? Is he a madman, turning over the tables in the temple? Is he a mischief-maker out to humiliate the religious leaders? Such people can be easily dealt with. But what if his authority does come from God himself?
Lord Jesus, may I obey your call and commandments, this and every day. Amen.
PRAYER FOR TODAY
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PRAYER FOR TODAY