This week I am in Grand Rapids at Calvin Seminary for a seminar titled: Forgiving Those Who Hurt Us. As a participant in the seminar I was asked to write a prayer on the subject of forgiveness. This prayer is based off a sermon I preached on Mark 11:25
Gracious Lord,
We come to you in need of forgiveness because our hearts have been unwilling to forgive. We have let the wrongs that have been done to us to fester and grow like cancers on our souls.
Because of our unforgiving hearts, we have not walked in the example of Jesus, who on the cross cried out to you asking that you would forgive his executioners. Lord help us to know how to love our enemies by forgiving them.
Because of our unforgiving hearts, we have undermined the unity you have created in the church. By the death of Jesus you created one new people, but we have allowed sin to divide us. Lord help us to forgive those who have wronged us in the hope that reconciliation may happen.
Because of our unforgiving hearts, we have shown that we really haven’t understood the gospel. Like the unmerciful servant we have disparaged the grace you have shown us. Lord help us to forgive so that we may be reminded of the beauty of your gospel.
Lord heal our unforgiving hearts so that we may experience your grace and live as the people you created us to be.
We ask this in the name through which we found forgiveness, Amen.
Peace and Prosperity 