“Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.” Matthew 6:12
I have always loved the Christmas season- the colors, the lights, getting the tree and decorating it, the gathering of family together, buying gifts and wrapping them in different wrap- so many that I actually dreamed at night of all kinds of colorful paper. Of course, anticipating what was in the gifts under the tree was part of the excitement. My sister and I took turns putting the baby Jesus in our small manger under the tree each year. My favorite gift as I grew older was from my dad- it was the one time each year he actually went out and shopped for us himself.
Never in my younger years did I stop to consider the real reason for celebrating- that God our Father sent each of us Jesus who would offer us the extraordinary gift of forgiveness and eternal life. Perhaps this year at Christmas we should receive this gift from God if we have not already. Also, could we each stop and consider someone we might need to forgive? It would be a beautiful, caring gift to give, and very much in the Spirit!
Matthew 6:12 teaches us to pray, “Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.”