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Living the Lord’s Prayer: Generosity and trust (February 2, 2025)

Savannah Demuynck reflects on the centrality of extending and receiving forgiveness in the Christian faith.

Matthew 6:5-15, The Lord’s Prayer

I recently became a mom and one of the things that comes with being a mom seems to be equipment for any situation. I am constantly carrying things. Whenever I go somewhere with my son, I bring a diaper bag full of diapers, wipes, clothes (for him and sometimes me), sunscreen, bug spray, a hat – the list goes on. Then, there are several toys, snacks, water for him, water for me, my own purse and, of course, I’m usually carrying my child as well. So often when I enter a space, I’m weighed down, literally.  Usually, someone notices and offers to help. I am always hesitant to say yes. I tell myself it’s because I don’t want to burden someone else. I also tell myself it’s because I’m embarrassed that I haven’t organized myself. But reflecting on today’s passage and considering the theme of debt I wonder if I actually am worried about feeling indebted to others.

Today’s text includes the familiar words of the Lord’s Prayer. This prayer was markedly different from the prayers found throughout the religious landscape around Jesus’ time. Contemporaneous prayers from this era often begged and bargained with gods. Priests and religious leaders would use incantation to emphasize their prayers. In contrast, Jesus offers a simple, casual prayer. One that centers on submitting to God’s authority (Matthew 6:10). There is no begging, no bargaining, no sense that if we do things right God will do what we desire. In submitting to God’s authority, we are acknowledging that God knows what we truly need and will provide it.

The prayer reiterates that we are not in control of meeting our basic needs, but we trust that God is. Food, forgiveness, and protection are given through God’s sovereignty and goodness (v. 11-13). This requires trusting like a child that God puts us exactly where we are supposed to be (v. 8-9).

Forgiveness is at the heart of the Christian life. The Bible instructs us in both economic and relational forgiveness. The Hebrew Bible instructs to forgive economic debts every seventh and fiftieth year to eliminate the prospect of people becoming permanently impoverished (Leviticus 25:1-12 and Deuteronomy 15:1-11). Later in Matthew, Jesus instructs Peter to forgive not seven times, but seven times seven – forty-nine – times (Matthew 18:21-35). Our relationships – with God, each other, and ourselves – are meant to include regular acts of forgiveness. In the Lord’s prayer, everything is a gift from God, even God’s forgiveness of our debts, and all we are to do is to forgive our debtors, both relationally and economically.

As I dwell on this passage, it’s clear to me that forgiveness and generosity are two distinct but connected aspects of this singular instruction from God. When we forgive, we give others something without expecting anything in return. Generosity is at the heart of God’s economy. We give because God gives first. In our forgiveness, we take part in the wholeness that God invites us into.

In the Lord’s prayer, we trust that God will provide for all our needs, and in return, we will strive to forgive whenever we can. Through our acts of forgiveness, we enter into authentic and deep relationships with those around us. When we accept the forgiveness of others or even accept a free hand when it is offered, we trust in God’s relational nature and strive to embody that nature ourselves. As the Lord’s Prayer reminds us, both forgiveness and generosity are a pivotal part of the way we are called to live. This prayer comes to life when we allow ourselves to live into it fully. When we accept the relational nature of God by forgiving others and accepting the gift of being forgiven.

In our submission to God, we agree to try. We agree to do our best to both forgive and accept the gift of being forgiven. We let the grace of God take hold in our lives, flow through our actions, and into our relationships. We pray, time and time again, “Forgive our debts, as we have forgiven our debtors” (v. 12). Thanks be to God.

Questions for reflection:

  1. What role does forgiveness play in your life? How might you lean into the “as we also have forgiven our debtors” part of the Lord’s Prayer?
  2. Which aspect of forgiveness is harder for you – forgiving others or being forgiven? Why do you think that is?

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