“And Forgive Us Our Debts…”

Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen. Matthew 6:9-13

During this Season of Lent, we are spending time in a sermon series on the Lord’s Prayer. This week we will spend time considering the phrase,

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

When Jesus uses the word debt, He means sin or transgression or trespass. These sins are sins of commission, wherein we do something God forbids. These sins are also sins of omission, wherein we refuse to do something God has called us to do.

In asking God to forgive us, we are acknowledging our guilt before God, and we are committing ourselves to following God once again. This is what repentance is all about.

Once our eyes have been opened to our offenses against God and our need for God’s forgiveness, we can begin to see the offenses of others against us in a new light. We will even be able to see their sins against us as forgivable.

In this petition, we are not only asking God to forgive us. We are asking God for the ability to forgive others.

May God continue to enrich and deepen your prayer life during this Lenten study of the Lord’s Prayer.

In Christ,

Pastor David