Becoming Love: If We Start at Finish, Where Do We End? (Part 4)Sample

Day Twenty – Jesus on the Cross

“This is just too big to forgive!” Have you said this recently?

In today’s passage, we see one of the most, if not the most, significant moments in our Christian journey – the crucifixion of Jesus. Now, the scene is set – everyone is gathered in a hill called “the Skull” which implies a place of death. One of His followers betrays Jesus, and He is tortured, beaten, and crucified. His disciples have forsaken Him, and His clothes are being distributed in front of Him. This is so horrific.

Now, this could easily be actions that could not be forgiven, especially in our human or worldly mindset. But we see the response of Jesus was quite different…

His focus point is His Father. During His journey on earth, His focus was always on His Father – John 5:19 & 20, “Whatever the Father does the Son also does.” In the gospels of Matt, Mark, and Luke – “Not my will, but Yours be done.” Jesus focuses on His Father, who is love, and calls on Him in this horrific moment and says, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34)

Jesus came to earth not just to be the example for us, but to be the example of us. In this moment where we might feel an overwhelming number of emotions and would like to respond in our human nature by seeking revenge, Jesus shows us to choose love instead of violence, for He was busy dying for them as well, the very people who crucified Him. He forgave His executioners; can’t we do the same?

When we focus our hearts solely on God, we change; our authentic, automatic response should be love because we only do what we see our Father do. That takes the weight from us, for forgiveness is not for the other person, but it’s for your own heart.

Where, who, or what do you need to forgive today?

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