Matterofprayer: A Year of Everyday Prayers – Friday, April 3, 2015
Day #39 – Forgiven, Cancelled. Can I Do the Same?
Good Friday. As the blog post said today, what’s so good about it?
We remember the day that Jesus died on the cross. Died for our sins. He forgave those who put Him to death, saying, “Father, forgive them. They don’t know what they are doing.”
Such a moving statement. And, just think about how difficult it was for Jesus to say that, on the cross. In such extreme circumstances. In agony, with limited breath and strength. Still, to say such a thing? The amount of forgiveness must be huge. Mind-blowingly astronomical.
I suggest to you that you—that I—that we all consider how wide and deep, and even endless Jesus’ forgiveness must be!
It is not easy to forgive! God knows, I have been wronged, I have had some awful things done to me. I’ve been wounded and in pain, and I bet you have, too! Others might mistreat us, even abuse us in a myriad of ways. Do you think it’s easy to put aside bitterness and resentment? Let me tell you. I know from experience. It is not easy.
As I wrote one day, a few weeks ago, I finally forgave someone who was really pulling my chain. I had a resentment stoked up inside for years. Yet, God helped me with that. God helped me come to some sort of peace within myself.
What about me? How much sin, how many sins has Jesus forgiven that I’ve committed? When Jesus said “It is finished” on the cross, another way it could be translated is “paid in full.” As in a debt. Jesus has forgiven all of my sins. Yes, and all of yours, too. He has paid our debt of sin and transgression to God in full.
That is how generous Jesus was, on the cross. Can I be any less generous? (That’s a rhetorical question.) Seriously, I need to consider how generous Jesus was—and is—to me. And go, and do likewise. Please, God, help me to be as generous, as forgiving.
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