...As We Forgive Our Debtors...

The Lord's Prayer - that model that Jesus left for us to follow - that's what I want to talk about.

Praying the Lord's Prayer aloud in each Sunday Worship is a tradition of the church we are attending. I hail from a denominational background that did not place such an emphasis on The Prayer during worship services. But I like this weekly reminder of the Prayer Christ gave us.

Do you know where I learned the Lord's Prayer?
Not in Sunday School...I learned it in Mrs. Moody's first grade class at Northside Elementary School. Neat huh?

Quite awhile back, I read the book "Could You Not Tarry One Hour", by Larry Lea (1987, Creation House, Lake Mary Florida), I was impressed with the idea of using that model Prayer as a template or outline for my daily prayer. I have practiced that discipline off and on for well over ten years (if you can call "off and on" a discipline).

Lately, I have been thinking about the phrase - "forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors". Until lately, I have approached that portion of The Prayer as a time to confess my sins and failures to God. However, recently it has occurred to me that the emphasis should be on the latter part of that phrase.... "as we forgive our debtors".

In fact, I believe that the point of that portion of The Prayer can be best understood by turning it around. In the same way that addition helps us better understand a subtraction problem - this plea can best be understood by starting with the back end and working forward:

As we forgive our debtors .... forgive us our debts.

Now that is a frightening request. Do I really want God to forgive me only to the extent that I forgive others?

No, actually I would prefer that God be very liberal in His outpouring of grace toward me.

God would ask the same of me when somebody does me wrong.

In the way I forgive those who are indebted to me ... God, forgive me that way - with that same attitude.

It's a requirement. He says "...if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins" (Matthew 6:15 NIV)

Thankfully, God does not place a requirement upon us unless He also provides a way to meet that requirement. When the ability to forgive is beyond me, I must yield that offense or hurt up to God and ask Him to forgive through me. I must ask Him to do in me what I have not power to do in myself.

And He will.