as we forgive our debtors

You know what? Forgiveness is designed to flow. It flows to us from God the Father, through Jesus - in fact Jesus makes it possible for us to be forgiven. Without Him it couldn’t flow to us any more than water can flow through a dam. We’d be disconnected from Him forever.

But it’s also designed to flow from us... to each other. Jesus gives us the context of asking for forgiveness from God, in the same way as we’ve already forgiven those who’ve wronged us.

“And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” - Matthew 6:12

He’s suggesting that we pray... after we’ve  already forgiven our wrongdoers. In other words, it’s harder to ask God to forgive you, if you haven’t forgiven those who’ve hurt you. The flow can’t pass through you, until you open the dam to those around you.

So. Who do you need to forgive today? Is there anyone whose very name makes you feel bitter or angry? Ask yourself how you feel about that person. How are you going to be part of God’s flow of forgiveness to them? How are you going to ask God to forgive you of something worse?

Let’s practice that flow today, let’s be ready to forgive each other, just as He’s quick to forgive us. Open the floodgates.