How often do we utter the words, “Lord, forgive me” or “God forgive me for …?” Do we really understand what we are saying? When we request forgiveness from God, we are actually positioning ourselves to forgive others, that we ourselves may obtain forgiveness. The forgiveness that we request from God is relational meaning that we get what we give.

In the prayer that Jesus taught His disciples, He says, “Forgive our debts as we forgive our debtors” which translates to “As often as I forgive others, please Lord, forgive me!” If we are honest, how many times would we really gain forgiveness? In verse 14, Jesus simply assures us that forgiveness, no matter what we have done, thought or said, is guaranteed if we allow for weakness in others. Today, remember the golden rule and ‘do unto others as you would have others do unto you’; forgive.