[Songs in the Night - July 13]
Likewise shall My Heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses. Matthew 18:35
FORGIVENESS in your hearts is the condition
which is always to obtain there: we should never harbor
any other feeling than that of forgiveness and good
will toward all, no matter how seriously they may have
trespassed against us: and if this be the case, we will
be longing and anxious to exercise the forgiveness outwardly
and to express it to the repentant ones.
Hence
we will not seek to compel the most elaborate statement
on the part of the penitent, but like the father of
the prodigal, to see the repentant one coming in an attitude
of humility will touch our hearts and prompt
us to go out part way to meet him, and to forgive him,
and to put on the robe of fullest fellowship and
brotherhood. Z'98-126 R2296:4 (Hymn 183)