A Prayer about “Seventy Times Seven” Forgiveness
Then Peter came up and said to him [Jesus], “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say seven times, but seventy times seven.” (Matt. 18:21–22)
Jesus, I’m sure I’ve read this story at least seventy-seven times since the day you rescued me from the dominion of darkness and planted me in your kingdom of grace. But I need to keep on reading it, because forgiveness is as daily as breathing, eating, and sleeping.
I know I sin against you in thought, word, and deed, every hour of every day. Jesus, I also know that you’ve already forgiven all of my sins, past, present, and future. Such is the wonder of the gospel.
When I confess my sins and ask your forgiveness, I don’t get more or new forgiveness. I humble myself and appropriate the forgiveness that you’ve already given me. Jesus, you’re not informed by my confession of sin. You know it’s a lot worse than I realize. You also know that your grace and forgiveness are far more abounding and thorough than I realize.
Where can greater riches be found? That’s the most rhetorical question I can imagine. Nothing compares with the treasures we’ve received in the gospel. Jesus, right now I confess how much I take your forgiveness for granted. I recognize this because there are a few “seventy times seven” forgiveness scenarios that are gnawing away at my peace and nibbling on my joy like tiny piranha.
I’ve forgiven seven times, but now I want them to pay; I want to be smug; I want to retreat into self-righteousness; I want to gossip and tell others not to trust those who have hurt me. In short, Jesus, I am a mess. I needed to write these feelings out so I could see just how ugly my heart can be.
Here’s my cry: come, Holy Spirit, come; apply the power of the gospel to my heart today. Slay the wicked servant in me. Humble me, gentle me, settle me, focus me, free me. Love in me and through me, for the glory of God. I pray in Jesus’ perfectly holy and forgiving name.
Amen.