The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains,
    The world, and those who live in it.
 For He has founded it upon the seas
     And established it upon the rivers. (Psalm 24:1-2)

Most mornings I wake up with a song in my head.  This morning it was a song of praise to the Lord of all the earth.  Then I read Psalm 24 and it just seems right that my mind continue to sing praises to the King of glory who is the LORD strong and mighty, the LORD who cannot be defeated in battle, the God of angel armies who is always by my side.

May grace, peace, and mercy abound, 

Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?”
“No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven! (Matthew 18:21-22)

To illustrate what forgiveness looks like Jesus then goes on to tell a parable to help us understand the kingdom of heaven.  There was a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.  A servant was brought before him who owed him “ten thousand talents.”  In today’s terms we are talking billions of dollars.  Just to put that in perspective; it would have taken him over 200,000 years to earn the amount he owed.  This was not a debt that was ever going to be paid.  The king knew that even as the man pleaded with him to be patient with him claiming that he would repay it all.  It would be an impossible task.  Such is the enormity of the  debt we owe to God.  But instead of glorying in the great mercy and grace he is shown by the king who completely forgives his debt; he then turns around and demands repayment of a loan made to a fellow servant.

Now this servant owed the man 100 denarii, which is approximately $36.00.  Here he has been forgiven billions and he has not the heart to forgive $36.  Instead, he treats his fellow servant with cruelty, refusing to forgive and having him thrown into prison.

Jesus closes this parable with these very sobering words,

So when his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their master all that had happened. Then summoning him, his master said to him, ‘You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?’ And his master, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he would repay all that was owed him. My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.” (Matthew 18:31-35, emphasis mine)

Do you see how Jesus answered Peter’s original question?  If we truly grasp what great a debt God has forgiven of us we would not ask the question in the first place.  We would freely forgive as we have been forgiven.  And yet I struggle sometimes.  How many times has God forgiven me for some sin I repeat over and over and over again?  He forgives me every single time.  He has forgiven me for every time I have yet to commit that same sin.  There is no limit to God’s forgiveness of the great debt I owe.  And He tells me very plainly there should be no limit to my forgiveness of others either.  In fact there seems to be a very scary line in the close of this parable and I it makes me quite uncomfortable

John Piper illuminates this point in a sermon series he did on forgiveness:

The point of Matthew 6:15 and 18:35 is that if we hold fast to an unforgiving spirit, we will be handed over to the tormentors. We will lose heaven, and gain hell.

The reason is not because we can earn heaven or merit heaven by forgiving others, but because holding fast to an unforgiving spirit proves that we do not trust Christ. If we trust him, we will not spurn his way of life. If we trust him, we will not be able to take forgiveness from his hand for our million dollar debt and withhold it from our ten dollar debtor. (https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/as-we-forgive-our-debtors)

May grace, peace, and mercy abound, 

Back in Psalm 22 this morning as I continue to look at this Psalm that begins with the same words that Jesus spoke from the cross, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Today that cry turns towards praise.  Where once all seemed lost, now David’s prayer points us towards the victory we have in God.

I will proclaim your name to my brothers.
    I will praise you among your assembled people.
 Praise the Lord, all you who fear him! (Psalm 22:22-23a)
Where once all seemed lost, now David’s prayer points us towards the victory we all have in God.
I will praise you in the great assembly.
    I will fulfill my vows in the presence of those who worship you.
The poor will eat and be satisfied.
    All who seek the Lord will praise him.
    Their hearts will rejoice with everlasting joy.
The whole earth will acknowledge the Lord and return to him.
    All the families of the nations will bow down before him.
For the kingdom is the Lord’s
   And He rules over the nations.
All the prosperous of the earth will eat and worship,
   All those who go down to the dust will kneel before Him,
Even he who cannot keep his soul alive. (Psalm 22:25-29)

Suffering may last for a time, but the end is sure-there will come a time when the whole earth will turn to the LORD, every person, every nation.  This puts me in mind of Christ on the cross once again.

Therefore, since we also have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let’s rid ourselves of every obstacle and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking only at Jesus, the originator and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2)

Even while calling out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Jesus had His eyes fixed on the final glory that would come in the kingdom of God.  He endured the pain because it was the path to the greatest victory imaginable.  Sin and death conquered at last.  The people of God restored and perfected and looking forward to enjoying God forever.

Our path through suffering can be used by God to spread the Gospel to the ends of the earth.  That is the picture David paints with this psalm.  The story does not end with us, but goes on to future generations.

Our children will also serve him.
    Future generations will hear about the wonders of the Lord.
His righteous acts will be told to those not yet born.
    They will hear about everything he has done. (Psalm 22:30-31)

So as the writer of Hebrews stated, let us run the race with endurance, looking to Jesus, the originator (the author) and perfector of our faith.  I may be tempted to think this is my story, but in reality it is God’s.  He has not abandoned me, and He never will.  These are the truths that I must pin my hopes on.  These are the truths that will guide me through the hard times. 

For he has not ignored or belittled the suffering of the needy.
    He has not turned his back on them,
    but has listened to their cries for help. (Psalm 22:24)

May grace, peace, and mercy abound,