DAY 1, Morning
“Father, forgive them, for they do not know
what they do.”
(Luke 23:34)
The first words
Jesus spoke from the cross were those of a plea for forgiveness. They were not
a cry of pain or a plea for rescue. They were not words of anger or accusation.
They were a prayer of forgiveness that revealed the heart of the One who came
to save.
34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them,
for they do not know what they do.” And they divided His garments and
cast lots.
The word Jesus
uses for “forgive” is the Greek word aphiēmi. It means to
release, to let go, or to send away. It is the same word Jesus used when He
taught His disciples to pray, “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our
debtors.” This forgiveness is not sentimental or shallow. It is a
deliberate act of releasing someone from the debt they owe.
Jesus is not
declaring universal forgiveness for every person standing at the foot of the
cross. He is not excusing their sin or pretending that their actions are
harmless. He is revealing His heart. He is showing the world that His love is
strong enough to release even those who are actively harming Him.
The soldiers who
nailed Him to the cross did not ask for forgiveness. The religious leaders who
mocked Him did not repent. The crowd that blasphemed Him did not understand the
magnitude of what they were doing. Yet Jesus prayed for them. He released the debt
into the hands of His Father, the only One who judges perfectly.
Forgiveness begins
in the heart of the forgiver. It does not begin with the worthiness of the
offender. Jesus is not minimizing the evil done against Him. He is choosing to
place the burden of justice into the hands of His Father. This is the
forgiveness that frees the soul from bitterness. This is the forgiveness that
refuses to let hatred take root. This is the forgiveness that does not require
reconciliation with the unrepentant. It is forgiveness that entrusts justice to
God.
When Jesus prayed,
“Father, forgive them,” He was revealing the heart of the Father. God
desires to release sinners from their debt. He yearns for repentance rather
than destruction. He opens the door of mercy even while the nails are still
being driven in.
As we begin these
seven devotionals on the last words of Christ, we begin where Jesus began, with
forgiveness. Forgiveness does not deny the truth. Release does not say wounds
do not hurt. Forgiveness does not enable sin, nor does it remove healthy
boundaries. Forgiveness releases the debt into the hands of God. This is the
forgiveness that reflects the cross. This is the forgiveness that looks like
Christ.
Pray this prayer
to God: Lord Jesus, thank You for praying for Your enemies even
as they wounded You. Teach me to release the debts others owe me. Help me to
entrust justice to the Father and to walk in the freedom that forgiveness
brings. Change my heart to be more like Yours. Amen.
