Connection between mercy and forgiveness

"Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed." "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."
matt. 18:32-35

this passage brings new light to the importance of forgiveness. how many of us want to be 'tortured until we pay back all we owe'? i have some clue about how much i owe, and there is no way i could repay Christ (or my debtors) for all that owe. i would be in eternal torment.

and yet there are times when i know i am to forgive others, and i choose not to. i am the same person as this unmerciful servant. i choose to hold a grudge, talk poorly against others who have offended me, etc. the list could continue on and on. and yet Jesus' words say that i will be treated the same unless i forgive from my heart. i think the key is from the heart. my mouth can say the simple words, 'i'm sorry', but my heart doesn't always get that memo. too often i harbor negative thoughts of others, and share that 'anger/hatred' with others.

oh Jesus,
please forgive my hard heart. You've forgiven me in a greater way than i could ever repay, and my 'thanks' is holding accounts against others. love holds no records of wrong --that's a tough one, Jesus. i can't do it on my own. i need You in my heart, refreshing me from the uncleanness which lingers. if there is any unforgiveness in my heart, please reveal it to me so that i may be made clean. i know Your blood set me free from sin and death, and yet there is a war raging in my inmost being. i praise You for allowing me to cling to You. i know that with You in my heart, i can't help but forgive others, and erase my slate of their wrong-doings. i beg You to help me forgive in the same way that You forgive. only thru You am i forgiven and without punishment from the sin i commit. Your mercy is great. i love You, sweet Jesus, and my heart rejoices that You are doing a new thing within me.
in Jesus' Name ~ Amen

---

*Herb *Kelsey *Kelly