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“I’ve been trying to get down
To the heart of the matter.
But my will gets weak,
And my thoughts seem to scatter.
But I think it’s about forgiveness,
Forgiveness.”
Marghanita Laski was an English novelist who also wrote plays and biographies. She was a professed atheist who found herself unable to escape from thinking and writing about religion. Shortly before her death in 1988, she said in a television interview, “What I envy most about you Christians is your forgiveness; I have nobody to forgive me.”
“Everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.” (Acts 10:43)
The need to forgive is widely recognized by the public, but they are often at a loss for ways to accomplish it. For example, in a large representative sampling of American people on various religious topics in 1988, the Gallup Organization found that 94% said it was important to forgive, but 85% said they needed some outside help to be able to forgive.
“In Him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace.” (Ephesians 1:7)
A teacher in China had her bag stolen, losing her cell phone, credit cards, and lots of cash. Instead of calling the police, a Chinese news agency reports, the woman sent text messages to her phone. "Keep the money if you really need it," she wrote, "to err is human. Correcting your mistakes is more important." After 21 messages, the thief returned the bag, the money, and a note begging forgiveness. (NPR Morning Edition, January 23, 2007)
“Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.” (Luke 11:4)
Forgiveness is the heart of the matter. It is God’s great gift to us.
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (I John 1:9)
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