PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Matthew 18:15-35
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.” (Matthew 18:34)
The ending of this story is disturbing… “to be tortured”!?!?”
And v.35 makes it sound like God is going to torture us!?!?
“This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.” (Matthew 18:35)
Jesus is not being literal; the next line shows this:
“Until he should pay back all he owed.”
God’s judgment is not temporary, until we pay back our debt.
Jesus is using an extreme example to make his point.
God takes mercy VERY SERIOUSLY, your own life depends on it!
Mercy is our only hope… yours, mine and everyone’s.
To reject mercy is to burn the bridge that we ourselves need to cross.
To be merciful like God is a debt none of us can pay.
It is especially hard for those who have been brutally mistreated.
But they can come to God for mercy, and admit their struggle and inability.
I may not want to be merciful, but do I WANT to want to be merciful?
Lord Jesus, You are not trying to scare me into showing mercy. You are showing me how passionate God is for mercy – for me and for everyone. Help me to grow in this heart for mercy too!