READ: Luk. 7:36-50
“Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” – Luk. 7:47
Just like the prayer for our daily bread, we every day need to plead for forgiveness of our debts. This is not supposed to leave us in despair; rather it allows us to continue in life comforted. This requires not only seeing our sins and realizing that we have earned God’s wrath, but also loving and trusting in our Saviour Jesus Christ. Every time we pray for forgiveness, we should remember our Savior’s atoning suffering. From what misery has He redeemed us, and how? Who was and is He to us? How great was and is His love for us as our only High Priest?
We look back to the cross on Calvary, and simultaneously we look up to heaven where He now pleads for us at the Father’s right hand. Then there is also grateful wonder at what He has done and is doing for our sakes. One is related to the other.
You may feel that you live quite well as a Christian; you do sin, but who doesn’t? If you don’t think about how you have grieved the Lord with your sins, you won’t pay much attention to your Saviour’s work of love. But this is different if you say this fifth petition, as a supplication full of repentance according to God’s will, in the hope of it being heard on the gracious basis of your Saviour’s atoning sacrifice.
The Lord Jesus points to this connection when he addresses the sinful woman in the house of Simon the Pharisee. The woman knew that she could only live by grace with her sins and therefore showed her love and gratitude to Jesus. But Simon thought differently of himself, he did not see himself as a sinner before Jesus and showed little or no love. True repentance depends on grace and shows true love.
Singing: Ps. 32:2 How do you give your love for your Savior a place?