Week 5, Day 30 - Not Knowing We Need Forgiveness

"Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."  Luke 23:34

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REFLECT

They had nailed Him to the cross, hoisted the ugly thing in place, watched the blood flow down, and then the Roman soldiers heard words from Jesus's lips that must have seemed too hard to believe: "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." During His ministry, Jesus had talked about forgiveness continually - but in this place; at this time?

We have to really visualize that and imagine we are there. We hear the words. And the one word we would never expect: "Forgive" is spoken. "Curse" would have been more likely. "Judge" or "condemn", or "destroy" maybe. Why should cruel men be forgiven? It is not that Jesus was calling a wrong a right. There is no moral confusion in forgiveness. He just knew that the Roman soldiers were carrying out the duty of the day as executioners who knew nothing of the subterfuge behind Jesus's betrayal, arrest, and mock trial. They really didn't know this capital punishment was for one not guilty of the crime, or any crime for that matter. Or did they? Regardless, He who knew no sin became sin for them also. So Jesus released them with a simple word from the Creator of life, "Father forgive".

We all have things in our lives that we aren't even aware of that need the same words spoken over us. God's loving act of release from transgressions we know we committed and even those we are not aware of is part of the wonder of the Cross event. If we can but catch a glimpse of the nature and significance of this cosmic event, we would never walk again in despair or hopelessness. It reminds me of a line in an old hymn sung in my youth, "Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe, sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow." Oh the wondrous Cross. God forgives sinners and in that release, we are truly free. Bask in it, enjoy it, and worship the giver of such life.

MAKE IT REAL

Talk to God about something you did that only later on you realized hurt someone else. Ask God to teach you something from the realization and the experience. If appropriate, go to that person and ask for forgiveness. If you are the recipient of a hurt, learn to extend forgiveness before it is ever asked.

Day 31