Barriers & Debts

Mark 11:25  And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against any one; so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”


Echoes of the Lord's prayer are found in this verse as well. As with many of Jesus teachings we can find similar lessons in a number of places. At the core of our spiritual and emotional health you find the subject of forgiveness. We need the forgiveness of others, but even more important that we know we forgiven by God. At the same time resentments and hoarded anger keep us from being free in relationships with others. Every incident we refuse to forgive places another board in the wall we build between our lives and others. We can spend time and even in enjoyable moments but we diminish the impact on our lives with the barriers that keep us from being free with others.

I like the word trespasses. In some versions of the Lord's Prayer that word is translated debts. We are talking about forgiveness which I usually associate with sins and yet Jesus avoids that word in these situations. I think he certainly would want us to forgive sins and to have our sins forgiven, but here he seems to be talking about intrusions into someone else's life situation. The words point to things we owe to others. I wonder who the trespasses are against? Does Jesus means intrusions into God's territory or are the trespasses against other people? If he means against God then the debt is clearly huge, and I know I have nothing that could pay such a debt. Even my whole life should be of little value to the God who created me. And yet he acts as if I am of immeasurable value through the gift of his son. He forgives my debt when I am brancrupt, completely unable to pay. What a God.