2018 Easter Devotional — March 6

Matthew 18:21-35 (click to view Scripture below)

Clearly, the message in today’s text is forgiveness — God’s forgiveness to us and our willingness to forgive others. We learn that forgiveness brings release. It brings hope. And hope changes our bitter and unforgiving heart.

Imagine, for many of our ChildHope students, the concept of forgiveness is new. They come from unbelievably difficult situations and circumstances where forgiveness seems impossible. But, with loving and dedicated teachers, they are learning about God’s forgiveness, and they are learning to forgive others. They are learning to forgive parents, family members, neighbors and friends. They learn that forgiveness brings release and with release they can begin to have hope — hope for change, hope for something new in their lives, hope for a difference in their families, hope for the future.

Dodey Files
Regional Coordinator, Southern Cone of South America

Prayer: Lord, thank you for forgiving us. Help us to be quick to forgive others. Touch our hearts so that any bitterness will be released, and let forgiveness and hope take its place.

See other devotionals in this series.


Matthew 18:21-35 (ESV)

21 Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.

23 “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25 And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27 And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. 28 But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ 29 So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ 30 He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. 31 When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. 32 Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

See other devotionals in this series.

 

Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®),
copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.