They Know Not What They Do

"Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots." Luke 23:34 (KJV).

Even when nailed to the cross, Jesus called out to God in prayer, asking for the forgiveness of those that were crucifying Him. At this moment of great anguish Christ was still looking for the redemption of His tormentors.

He knew they had not the understanding of what was taking place upon that accursed hill. That all creation was being reset by the power of God, and that Satan's mechanations had finally come to naught. That the plans of destruction had been reversed, and now carried the power of renewal, salvation and restoration.

How many times in our own lives has God brought us back from the brink? How many times have we had our own "Gethsemane moment" when we felt all that had come before in our lives would be undone? Did we turn our focus to God and ask for the forgiveness of our tormentors? 

Did we even desire their redemption and salvation at the hands of God? 

Hard questions for any mortal to come to grips with. I have had the challenge of facing such a choice, and now I can say that I have finally come through to the other side of things. I can finally pray that prayer that Christ did 2,000 years ago.

But it was only through the direct intervention of God in my life that I got there at all. Many times I struggled with the desire to lash out and offer hurt as I had received. And after all this had happened, within a month I lived through it once again.

That is when I understood Jesus Christ's lesson of who are family, and who failed the test. It was a hard lesson to learn, and very painful. But we MUST come to that place of forgiveness that Christ did. It is not just an expectation of our Walk Of Faith, but a requirement.

Really!

The reason is clear when seen through the eyes of God, in a word love. Love changes things, especially those who find themselves the object of that love. It does not matter if they know what is being directed in their lives, love does not need to be seen, or requires agreement. It is simply love.

And forgiveness is one of the highest forms of love, and a very real power of God.

Forgiveness is not a frivolous pursuit, as we can surmise by Jesus' call to forgive those who were actively killing Him. This was no small pardon, but Christ's purpose was greater than the circumstance. His only focus was to love, and forgive, because it was required by God, His Father.

We need to look at it with the same understanding, the same depth of love, and with honest intent. And there was a reason I did not forgive immediately, I couldn't. It was beyond my capacity until I had healed of the consequences of the offense. Until then it would have been a lie.

So when I could finally forgive in truth, I did. But it was a four month journey, and the wounds ran deep. Those that I trusted to be there, in support, love, and a Godly unity, gave lie to the years that had passed before. I was so completely unprepared for what happened, that at first I couldn't wrap my mind around any of the circumstances, or lies used, to bolster their position.

I then spiraled into such self doubt, that God had to remind me that I had not done this thing. I had lived such a sinful life before, that the first thing I did was to search myself, and to be brutally honest that I had, or had not, brought this all on myself.

But I hadn't.

But when we are called to forgive, it does not mean simple and unimportant things, it means those things of import and consequence in our lives. Else what is gained by forgiving? We must realize that forgiveness is not for others but marginally. The real power and focus is the forgiveness we ourselves receive.

And speaking for myself and the life I once had led, I needed all the forgiveness I could get. Forgiveness does three things: cleans the slate before God, engenders within us a love mindset, and from that mindset fulfills the unction by Jesus Christ to love each other.

These touch on the two greatest commandments, which in turn are again about love. To love God, and to love each other. But I didn't want to forgive at first. But I did want to obey God, so I had to come to a point of forgiveness.

Let's put this in perspective. What is the only heart God accepts? A contrite heart. What does that mean by definitioon? "Adjective: Feeling regret for a fault or offence or feeling or expressing pain or sorrow for sins or offenses."

God can always forgive us of our offenses, but when we have a contrite spirit or heart towards God, we have made that condition of contriteness a part of who we are. In turn that can be used, for us to be humble enough to have that same forgiveness God has for us, and our faults and failures, for others through our love that forgives others of any offenses.

So we see that forgiveness has many layers, and hence aspects, that affects our lives.

We must walk in love, and understand all the things that means. We must not only love God, but each other. In a real love, unfeigned and not fake, that forgives, encourages, that is selfless, and reflects what God places into our lives through His love.

His love is the example we are to follow, in it we fulfill all things in our Walk Of Faith.

Be blessed, be loved and be at peace. May the light of God's glory and presence fire the brilliance of your souls. You are greatly loved.