“Forgive And Live”

     The Words of Jesus from the cross will forever be engraved upon our hearts and impressed upon our hearing as a clap of thunder that is over but still lingers.  The reverberant sound of His immortal words, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” still echoes today.

            The prayer of petition for forgiveness toward His murderers was the prayer of the Triumphant Intercessor, Jesus Christ, Son of God!  At the very moment of His death, His prayer was heard and The Father extended kindness and mercy to the murderers of His only begotten Son.  In Titus 3:4 and 5, Paul says, “But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, (5) not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy, He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit. . .”

            God the Father gave undeserving sinners; those who were disapproved and transgressors of His law, the gift of His Son! What Amazing Grace!  The offended offers the offenders forgiveness which is shown by His love, kindness and mercy.  There is no wonder that the apostle in Ephesians 2:8 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.”  We had nothing to do with it!

            We who were enemies of God, were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son.  We accepted God’s gift of Jesus and thereby, was broken hostility that was between us.

            Perhaps there is someone in your life who has wounded you by word or deed and there is still pain, anguish, and unforgiveness in your heart.  The road to recovery is called, Forgiveness.  Extend to the perpetrator forgiveness, acts of kindness and love—That’s what your Father did for you! 

            Paul says, “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.”  Colossians 3:12,13.

                                                                                In Christ’s Love,

                                                            Pastor Don