Day Four – Living in Grace
New Testament: Luke 11:4a
Old Testament: Exodus 20:13–16
"Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us."
Forgiveness is not an escape clause. It's a way of life in the kingdom of God.
When Jesus teaches us to pray this line, He’s not letting us off the hook —
He’s inviting us into a rhythm of grace received and grace given.
And this is not a one-sided transaction. We ask for forgiveness as we forgive.
Like I said - this isn't a loophole. It’s a mirror.
In Exodus 20:13–16, God gives commands that define how we live with one another:
At first glance, these may seem like rules for behavior.
But they’re so much more than that.These commandments show us what it looks like to live in the image of God.
They reflect His character — His justice, His faithfulness, His truth, His love.
To live this way is to mirror the One who made us.
And only one person in human flesh has ever lived that image perfectly:
Jesus.
He embodied the law not just in action, but in heart.
He didn’t just avoid sin — He fulfilled righteousness.
He didn’t just follow commandments — He became their fulfillment.
Now, through His Spirit, we are being shaped into that same image.
Our calling is not just to obey the last six commandments — but to embody them.
We are called to live in the image of God. To live as a witness of Christ working through us in real relationships, in real life.
Easy?
Not at all.
We carry the same patterns as the people of Exodus. They were freed from slavery — and what did they want? To go back.
They received the covenant — and broke it before Moses even reached the mountain base.
They were fed by mercy — and still grumbled for more.
We are just like them: Freed, but forgetful. Called, but conflicted. Loved, but often resistant to love others the same way.
And still, God stays with us. Still, He forgives.
Forgiveness is Freedom
In Exodus, when God's people broke the law, they weren’t cast out — they were what?
Called back. And in Jesus, that mercy becomes flesh.
This isn’t a transaction. It’s a transformation.
Jesus isn’t just teaching us to ask for forgiveness — He’s teaching us to live forgiven. Maybe read that one again!
And that changes how we treat others. “… for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.”
This is where it gets real. Because God’s mercy doesn’t stop with us. It moves through us.
The same grace we ask for — we extend. The same release we receive — we offer.
This isn’t easy. But it’s holy.
Modern Context
We live in a culture that often reacts quickly—eager to cancel, to call out, to expose what’s wrong.
But it is far slower when it comes to forgiveness, restoration, or reconciliation. Jesus offers us a different way to live—one that doesn’t abandon justice, but saturates it with mercy.
Forgiveness, in this light, is not a passive act. It’s an active, courageous response that breaks cycles of revenge and retribution.
Forgiveness doesn’t mean forgetting. It doesn’t mean excusing.
It means releasing someone from the debt they owe —
because you’ve been released from yours.
In the kingdom of God, sin isn’t ignored or buried—it’s brought into the light.
We acknowledge it honestly, we confess, we forgive, and we begin again. This is the rhythm of grace He invites us into.
Reflection
Forgiveness grows in the heart that remembers what it has received.
When we truly grasp the depth of God’s mercy toward us, we begin to see that forgiving others is not a sign of weakness, but an act of worship. It becomes a response to grace, not a performance of virtue.
Each time we let go of an offense, we are reminded of the One who let go of ours. And as grace takes root in us, the grip of bitterness and resentment begins to loosen.
Do you forgive - everyone. (those)?
Prayer
Father,
You have forgiven me more than I could ever repay.
Let that mercy shape the way I live today.
Where I’ve been wronged, give me the courage to release.
Where I’ve done wrong, give me the humility to repent.
Let my life echo Yours — full of mercy, full of truth.
Amen.
New Testament: Luke 11:4a
Old Testament: Exodus 20:13–16
"Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us."
Forgiveness is not an escape clause. It's a way of life in the kingdom of God.
When Jesus teaches us to pray this line, He’s not letting us off the hook —
He’s inviting us into a rhythm of grace received and grace given.
And this is not a one-sided transaction. We ask for forgiveness as we forgive.
Like I said - this isn't a loophole. It’s a mirror.
In Exodus 20:13–16, God gives commands that define how we live with one another:
- You shall not murder
- You shall not commit adultery
- You shall not steal
- You shall not bear false witness
At first glance, these may seem like rules for behavior.
But they’re so much more than that.These commandments show us what it looks like to live in the image of God.
They reflect His character — His justice, His faithfulness, His truth, His love.
To live this way is to mirror the One who made us.
And only one person in human flesh has ever lived that image perfectly:
Jesus.
He embodied the law not just in action, but in heart.
He didn’t just avoid sin — He fulfilled righteousness.
He didn’t just follow commandments — He became their fulfillment.
Now, through His Spirit, we are being shaped into that same image.
Our calling is not just to obey the last six commandments — but to embody them.
We are called to live in the image of God. To live as a witness of Christ working through us in real relationships, in real life.
Easy?
Not at all.
We carry the same patterns as the people of Exodus. They were freed from slavery — and what did they want? To go back.
They received the covenant — and broke it before Moses even reached the mountain base.
They were fed by mercy — and still grumbled for more.
We are just like them: Freed, but forgetful. Called, but conflicted. Loved, but often resistant to love others the same way.
And still, God stays with us. Still, He forgives.
Forgiveness is Freedom
In Exodus, when God's people broke the law, they weren’t cast out — they were what?
Called back. And in Jesus, that mercy becomes flesh.
This isn’t a transaction. It’s a transformation.
Jesus isn’t just teaching us to ask for forgiveness — He’s teaching us to live forgiven. Maybe read that one again!
And that changes how we treat others. “… for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.”
This is where it gets real. Because God’s mercy doesn’t stop with us. It moves through us.
The same grace we ask for — we extend. The same release we receive — we offer.
This isn’t easy. But it’s holy.
Modern Context
We live in a culture that often reacts quickly—eager to cancel, to call out, to expose what’s wrong.
But it is far slower when it comes to forgiveness, restoration, or reconciliation. Jesus offers us a different way to live—one that doesn’t abandon justice, but saturates it with mercy.
Forgiveness, in this light, is not a passive act. It’s an active, courageous response that breaks cycles of revenge and retribution.
Forgiveness doesn’t mean forgetting. It doesn’t mean excusing.
It means releasing someone from the debt they owe —
because you’ve been released from yours.
In the kingdom of God, sin isn’t ignored or buried—it’s brought into the light.
We acknowledge it honestly, we confess, we forgive, and we begin again. This is the rhythm of grace He invites us into.
Reflection
Forgiveness grows in the heart that remembers what it has received.
When we truly grasp the depth of God’s mercy toward us, we begin to see that forgiving others is not a sign of weakness, but an act of worship. It becomes a response to grace, not a performance of virtue.
Each time we let go of an offense, we are reminded of the One who let go of ours. And as grace takes root in us, the grip of bitterness and resentment begins to loosen.
Do you forgive - everyone. (those)?
Prayer
Father,
You have forgiven me more than I could ever repay.
Let that mercy shape the way I live today.
Where I’ve been wronged, give me the courage to release.
Where I’ve done wrong, give me the humility to repent.
Let my life echo Yours — full of mercy, full of truth.
Amen.
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