Matthew 18:21-35 KJV
21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.
24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.
25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.
26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.
28 But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.
29 And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.
30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.
31 So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.
32 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:
33 Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?
34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.
35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

Forgiveness is a hard thing for most of us. There many things we can forgive and continue to love someone despite the crime against us, but murder, rape, mental, physical, emotional abuse and perhaps betrayal is the hardest things in life to forgive. Christ forgave all of these. I seldom get into the details of cross or the horrific picture of the torture of the cross I should say. I was about in fourth grade when I heard a sermon by a preacher in Texas speaking on the brutality of the crucifixion of Jesus. Even down to the punch of the gential area of my Savior. Not just the beating, with the cat of nine tails whip, with metal and bone fragments in the end of the whip, the plucking of the beard, the mocking, the hitting across the face or the sword in his side and nails in his hands. Every type of physical, mental and emotional abuse was succum by our Lord and Savior before and during the cross. Betrayal of those who praised him one day and yelled crucified the next. The denial of Peter, though prophesied, and the betrayal of Judas who carried his money bag. All these things Jesus would have to forgive before he would be resurrected from the grave he was in until the third day after his death. Jesus understand our pain even if we fail to grasp He does understand our emotion and our lack of ability to forgive. Yet he forgave us for better things.

In this story we see a servant to the king that begged for mercy for his family because of debt he owed. King decide to forgive him of all his debt. The man leaves happy, until he see a servant he could not forgive of his own that owed him money. The man sentenced him to prison until his debt would be paid. Well servant talk among themselves and some went to the generous king and told what the fella did that he forgave his debt. He called his servant to him and asked him why he did not forgive his own servant. And so the King deliver the man that would not forgive unto the tormentors until he could pay back all his debt. Now as a child hearing this story, i was just glad the man got justice due him. Yet we read further and we get the message our Heavenly Father will do likewise to us, if we do not forgive our debtors the way Jesus forgave us. How did Jesus forgive those when he was on the cross, he told them he forgave them despite what they did to him, but he knew of a better things to come if he did.

Let go with the first parage at the end of it, he forgave us for better things. Why is that sentence so important in this lesson. Most of us who are in emotional pain because of abuse of some sort have to look at forgiveness as being a better hope of things yet to come. If we are forgiving for better things yet to come, we have to trust God's word when it says, "So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses." There hope not to be tormented if we forgive. Many of us will not read that quote of that verse that way. We see fear in our future because of our lack of ability to forgive torment and destruction of ourselves. Yet there is hope in that last verse in Matthew 18 that not writen but implied. That if we forgive we will not be punished for our unforgiveness. For our mercy shown as our Heavenly Father gives us mercy through sending his Son. He gives us his grace knowing his Son would go to cross and still forgive us our sin.

Dear Heavenly Father your grace speaks of your love for mankind but your forgiveness for our sins speak of your mercy. Lord help us to apply your mercy to the lives of those that persecute us as believers, as humans, and even because of our sinful history. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

Continual Scripture Study: James 2:13 KJV
13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.