Forgiveness is at the core of Christianity. God had to work hard to forgive. He developed a plan. Then he put his Son through the excruciating suffering and curse of the cross. And Jesus now rules the world to ensure that God's will and God's way are accomplished. It's work for God, and it has cost him dearly.

Human beings are created in God's image. This means we are like God in many ways. When it comes to forgiveness, we can see this plainly. Forgiveness is wonderful to receive and to give, but it requires effort. It takes work. It takes sacrifice. Forgiveness means not just accepting whatever comes our way, or dismissing hurts and offenses as unimportant. Forgiveness takes people and sin seriously. And that's hard work.

The challenge God lays before us is to develop the desire and determination to accept forgiveness from God and others, and then to forgive those who have sinned against us. We have a job to do.

As a pastor, I sometimes hear people say, "Pastor, make the Sunday worship practical for Monday's work." If you are looking for something practical, something that will require effort, "forgive as the Lord forgave you." That will tie together your worship with what you should practice every day. Forgiving is everyday work for us all!