How Often Lord?

Peter approached Jesus and asked him, “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times. -Matthew 18:21

As Christians we pray very often if not everyday the Prayer that Jesus taught us, otherwise known as the Our Father. There are so many layers to this simple and quick prayer. This is often recited without peeling back the many beautiful layers that lie within it. One part of the prayer states: "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive others who trespass against us." Really? Do we really want the Lord to forgive us in the same manner that we do for others? If so, great. It means you're a forgiving person. If the answer is no, you must proceed with caution. So many times we ask for God's mercy and forgiveness, yet we withhold it from one another. Immediately following the verse above Jesus tells a parable. The ending of that parable has the servant being thrown in prison until his last debt was paid because he refused to offer the same forgiveness that he sought from the Master. 

As we seek forgiveness from the Lord may we too offer forgiveness to others. How often you ask? How about as often as you seek it from the Lord!