Morning
The younger son . . . journeyed to a far country, and
there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.
Such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. § We … were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. § God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us … If when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
Luke 15:13; 1 Cor. 6:11; Eph. 2:3–6; 1 John 4:10; Rom. 5:8, 10
Evening
As Christ forgave you, so you also must do.
There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. § I forgave you all that debt … Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?
And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses. § As the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another.
“Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.”
Love … is the bond of perfection.
Col. 3:13; Luke 7:41–42; Matt. 18:32–33;
Mark 11:25–26; Col. 3:12–13; Matt. 18:21–22; Col. 3:14
