In and following the model prayer that Jesus gives His disciples he emphasizes forgiveness. Gary Jackson reminds us that there are things Jesus wants us to pay attention to, and this is one of those things. If we are unwilling to forgive, God will be unwilling to forgive us. God's mercy is not based on my sorrow for my sin, my potential future behavior, or whether I have a good excuse for what I've done. God just forgives us, and so should we be willing to forgive others.