Our scripture this morning is Mark 11:23-25.
”Truly I tell you, if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and if you do not doubt in your heart, but believe that what you say will come to pass, it will be done for you. So I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.”
In this passage Jesus teaches about faith, prayer and forgiveness. He shows that these are all connected, that when we forgive others and pray in faith, amazing things can happen. However, we must remember we can only move the mountains God wants moved, not our own personal choices.
This is a prime example of His will, not ours. We hear this in The Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13) and His prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:39). The things we pray for must align with God’s intent for us and the world.
Finally Jesus reminds us we can’t expect forgiveness if we don’t forgive others. Jesus shows this most poignantly from the cross with His request “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). If Jesus can forgive us, we can certainly forgive those who have wronged us.
Gracious God, in Your mercy You sent Your son to save us. Help us to accept this wonderful gift and share it with the world. Amen.
