This week, until 22 November, Kevin Mayhew Ltd are offering 10 per cent off No Ordinary Stories: Meditations and Worship Material on the Parables. With the book normally retailing at £19.99, that means a saving of £2.00 using the code STORIES10 when ordering the book from the company’s website. Just type the code into the relevant box at the online checkout between the dates given.
Meanwhile, here’s the fifth of the sessions I’ll be posting this week from the book, to run alongside this promotion.
THE UNMERCIFUL SERVANT
Reading
The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’ Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt. When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart. Matthew 18:23-35
Meditation of Peter, one of the twelve disciples
So you’ve made a mistake, have you? –
done something foolish?
Don’t worry, God will forgive you.
You’ve spoken rashly,
caused offence?
Never mind, God will understand.
You’ve acted selfishly,
ignored the needy?
No matter, God is gracious.
Is that how you tend to think?
I did!
I had this picture of God as all-forgiving,
all-merciful,
‘slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love’,
you know the kind of thing –
in short, a soft touch,
though I’d never have put it so crudely.
Oh yes, I was well aware of what Jesus had told us,
those words of his concerning prayer –
‘Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us’ –
but I never imagined he meant us to take that literally,
never for a moment really thought he was serious.
Only, as I sat and listened to that parable, a cold chill came over me,
for I realised he meant every word.
The grace of God,
his goodness and mercy –
it’s not just doled out willy-nilly,
extended indiscriminately, come what may.
It’s a free gift, true,
one we can never earn, however hard we try,
but if, having received mercy, we fail to show it to others,
then what God has given he can just as easily take away.
He sets no price on his forgiveness,
but he expects a response,
an expression of gratitude not just in words but deeds,
and, ultimately, the measure we give is the measure we’ll get.
You find that disturbing?
You’re not the only one,
for it shatters our cosy, comfortable illusions,
but I tell you this:
better to shatter such a picture now
while there’s still time to put things right,
than one day to find it broken for us,
and discover it’s too late to make amends!
Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ,
through your suffering and death
you paid the price that we could never begin to pay.
You gave your all so that the debt we owe might be cancelled,
our freedom secured through your offering of love.
Yet having been forgiven so much,
we are willing to forgive so little.
We dwell on mistakes made against us,
we nurse grievances,
we look for revenge,
we are swift to judge and eager to condemn.
Have mercy on us yet again,
and put a right spirit within us.
Teach us to remember all you have done for us,
and so may we reach out to others,
ready to show mercy in turn –
to forgive,
to forget,
to love
and to accept,
for your name’s sake.
Amen.