Pardon The Mess

I will be making a few changes around here for a bit - so it might get a little funky for a bit!

Thanks.

Chris

Forgive us our sins...

The next (and I believe) toughest line in the Lord's Prayer is this:

Forgive us our sins AS we forgive those who've sin against us.

I highlighted the AS - it wasn't until recently that the "as" struck me.

Is is "as" as in is "while" or as in "like"?

The more I got to think of it - what if it's "as" as in "like?"

Then I might be praying for something I don't really want!  Because if God forgives ME as I forgive others?  I'm in trouble!  And here I am asking God to do just that.

This puts forgiving in a whole new context...

And one that more and more I am trying to forgive others as I want God to forgive ME.  Which means: absolutely and without reservation.

Am I ready for that?  Is that what I really want?

If I am to live how Jesus taught and lived, then yes.

If I want to do things my own way, then no.

Well, considering the trouble I have gotten myself into - I think I'll go with the former.

And while I don't completely like the idea that I am asking God to forgive me the same way I forgive others - I DO like the idea of forgiving others as God forgives them.

I'm not for rewriting the prayer, but one way to look at it might be: to THINK "Help me to forgive others AS YOU forgive us."