Friday, March 25, 2005
Good Friday
Jesus, an innocent victim being killed, prays: "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." Luke 23:34 The Word of Forgiveness!
This week we were impacted by the dreadful news from Red Lake. I read of a cell phone conversation, between a child and parent. It was simply a plea for help and safety. "Mom, Come and get me". Jesus words are a plea too, but they are in stark contrast to the words the student, or you, or I, would likely utter.
Rather than a plea for help, Jesus pleads with his Father to be forgiving, and excuse his persecutors actions, due to their ignorance.
Looking closer, we see that Jesus is simply demonstrating the Love he spoke of during his ministry. In Matthew 5:44 (slightly paraphrased), he commanded: "Love your enemies, do good for those who hurt you, and pray for those who persecute you." Jesus prayer from the cross, fulfills perfectly his own command. Jesus forgives his persecutors.
He is fully aware of their blindness to the fact that they are actually Killing God's Son. It is difficult to imagine the anger the Father felt. We know of the Love a parent feels for a child. As any parent will attest, we have a strong desire to prevent our children from being hurt, as expressed so painfully in Florida this week. While Jesus wasn't a parent, he was rather perceptive about the anger his heavenly Father felt. And the need to pray for the Father to be forgiving.
The words of Jesus from the cross, are very much in character for the Savior we know and Love. We want to hear Jesus speak those words of forgiveness on our behalf. Our need to hear those words, is based on our knowledge, that our sin is the reason he allowed himself to be crucified. He died on the cross to forgive us. It is worth noting that even though they are not repenting, Jesus prays on their behalf to the Father. This is a real comfort to realize that even when we haven't yet asked or realized our need for forgiveness Jesus forgives us and prays for us.
Jesus prayer on the cross isn't only about Him forgiving those who actually put him to death. Jesus words to His Father, are also a guide for us to follow at times when we find ourselves angry about an injustice or disappointed by someone. He says, "Forgive them" Expressing our anger or disappointment is natural, but we are also, like Jesus, a child of God. We should follow his example and even in those most difficult times, be forgiving and pray for our Father's forgiveness for those hurting us.
Let us pray
Father, thank you for hearing the prayer of Jesus and for forgiving us through him.
Jesus, thank you for dying for our forgiveness.
Spirit, help us to follow Jesus example to forgive and pray for those who hurt us.
Amen
This week we were impacted by the dreadful news from Red Lake. I read of a cell phone conversation, between a child and parent. It was simply a plea for help and safety. "Mom, Come and get me". Jesus words are a plea too, but they are in stark contrast to the words the student, or you, or I, would likely utter.
Rather than a plea for help, Jesus pleads with his Father to be forgiving, and excuse his persecutors actions, due to their ignorance.
Looking closer, we see that Jesus is simply demonstrating the Love he spoke of during his ministry. In Matthew 5:44 (slightly paraphrased), he commanded: "Love your enemies, do good for those who hurt you, and pray for those who persecute you." Jesus prayer from the cross, fulfills perfectly his own command. Jesus forgives his persecutors.
He is fully aware of their blindness to the fact that they are actually Killing God's Son. It is difficult to imagine the anger the Father felt. We know of the Love a parent feels for a child. As any parent will attest, we have a strong desire to prevent our children from being hurt, as expressed so painfully in Florida this week. While Jesus wasn't a parent, he was rather perceptive about the anger his heavenly Father felt. And the need to pray for the Father to be forgiving.
The words of Jesus from the cross, are very much in character for the Savior we know and Love. We want to hear Jesus speak those words of forgiveness on our behalf. Our need to hear those words, is based on our knowledge, that our sin is the reason he allowed himself to be crucified. He died on the cross to forgive us. It is worth noting that even though they are not repenting, Jesus prays on their behalf to the Father. This is a real comfort to realize that even when we haven't yet asked or realized our need for forgiveness Jesus forgives us and prays for us.
Jesus prayer on the cross isn't only about Him forgiving those who actually put him to death. Jesus words to His Father, are also a guide for us to follow at times when we find ourselves angry about an injustice or disappointed by someone. He says, "Forgive them" Expressing our anger or disappointment is natural, but we are also, like Jesus, a child of God. We should follow his example and even in those most difficult times, be forgiving and pray for our Father's forgiveness for those hurting us.
Let us pray
Father, thank you for hearing the prayer of Jesus and for forgiving us through him.
Jesus, thank you for dying for our forgiveness.
Spirit, help us to follow Jesus example to forgive and pray for those who hurt us.
Amen
# posted by Steve @ 8:56 PM 
