David Bahn – Reflections

“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
¹⁰ Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
¹¹ Give us this day our daily bread,
¹² and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.

There is a story of a man who lived in a trailer park. One day there came a loud and demanding knock on the door.

“Where’s the rent? It’s due today. And what’s with all this trash outside your trailer. And look! It’s in there too! You’d better not let me see any more trash. And I want my rent. Now!”

The landlord was a mean-spirited sort. He had no grace. Only demands. And he made the man feel miserable and cowardly. The landlord could come by any time. If he saw a scrap of trash the man would be in trouble. The man lived in fear; he had nowhere else to live. But the landlord made life miserable, constantly demanding the rent, glaring and sneering at the smallest scrap of paper.

One day, however, the knock on the door was not demanding, but polite. And the face and demeanor of the man on the steps was kinder. He was a good man.

“I’ve just come to tell you that I’m the new landlord,” he said.

“I’ll have your rent soon – I didn’t think it was due ’till next week. I’m sorry! I’ll get it soon. Please…” The man was in a frightful state.

“No, no. I’ve not come for the rent.” The new landlord was a different sort – through and through. “I’ve come to tell you that I’m the new landlord, and I don’t charge rent.”

“You don’t charge rent?!? Why I’ve…How do you…”

“Not to worry. I don’t charge. You are free to live here. No charge.” He looked behind the man and saw some trash in the trailer. “Is that trash?” And before the very frightened man could offer an excuse or promise to keep it better hidden the new landlord continued, “Why don’t you give it to me? I’ll take care of it. And if you’ve got any more, just put it on the porch and I’ll take care of it. Just put it on the porch.”

The man hardly knew how to respond. But week after week, he would put his trash on the porch and the next day it would be gone. Life got better. The man no longer lived in fear and dread – until one day a loud and demanding knock came on the door. “Where’s my rent! And what’s the trash doing on your doorstep!?!” The old landlord was back. The man’s heart sank.

“Please…I’ll have it tomorrow. And I’ll get rid of this trash. I’m sorry.”

“You’d better. I’ll be back tomorrow.” There was a evil, demanding disdain in the landlord’s voice. A chill went up the man’s back.

Later that day there came the kinder knock on the door. There stood the new landlord. With a smile he said, “Has the old landlord been by here? There have been reports that he’s been in the neighborhood. And that he’s demanding rent again – threatening people about their trash and all. Has he been by here? ‘Cause if he has, you need to know he can’t harm you now. He has no authority to collect rent from you any more. And if he does come back you tell him to leave you alone. You tell him there’s a new landlord. You tell him I’m the new landlord and he’d better leave you alone. Tell him my name: It’s Jesus. You tell him Jesus is your new landlord and you don’t have to give him anything.”

Thanks to Mike Breen for that parable. Whenever you struggle with your sins, remind the devil that Jesus has taken away your trash, that he’s the new landlord of your life, and that the devil has no say.

We pray with great confidence, “Forgive us our debts as we have forgiven our debtors. Amen.”