One day a while back, a
man, his heart heavy with grief, was walking in the woods. As he
thought about his life this day, he knew many things were not right.
He thought about those who had lied about him back when he had a
job. His thoughts turned to those who had stolen his things and
cheated him.
He remembered family that had passed on. His mind turned to the
illness he had that no one could cure. His very soul was filled with
anger, resentment and frustration. Standing there this day,
searching for answers he could not find, knowing all else had failed
him, he knelt at the base of an old oak tree to seek the one he knew
would always be there. And with tears in his eyes, he prayed: "Lord-
You have done wonderful things for me in this life. You have told me
to do many things for you, and I happily obeyed.
Today, you have told me to forgive. I am sad, Lord, because I
cannot. I don't know how. It is not fair Lord. I didn't deserve
these wrongs that were done against me and I shouldn't have to
forgive.
As perfect as your way is Lord, this one thing I cannot do, for I
don't know how to forgive. My anger is so deep Lord, I fear I may
not hear you, but I pray that you teach me to do this one thing I
cannot do - "Teach me to forgive."
As he knelt there in the
quiet shade of that old oak tree, he felt something fall onto his
shoulder. He opened his eyes. Out of the corner of one eye, he saw
something red on his shirt. He could not turn to see what it was
because where the oak tree had been was a large square piece of wood
in the ground.
He raised his head and saw two feet held to the wood with a large
spike through them. He raised his head more, and tears came to his
eyes as he saw Jesus hanging on a cross. He saw spikes in His hands,
a gash in His side, a torn and battered body, deep thorns sunk into
His head.
Finally he saw the suffering and pain on His precious face. As their
eyes met, the man's tears turned to sobbing, and Jesus began to
speak. "Have you ever told a lie?" He asked. The man answered, "Yes,
Lord."
"Have you ever been
given too much change and kept it?" The man answered, "Yes. Lord."
And the man sobbed more and more. "Have you ever taken something
from work that wasn't yours?" Jesus asked. And the man answered,
"Yes, Lord."
"Have you ever sworn,
using my Father's name in vain?" The man, crying now, answered -
"yes, Lord." As Jesus asked many more times, "Have you ever...?" The
man's crying became uncontrollable, for he could only answer, "Yes,
Lord."
Then Jesus turned His
head from one side to the other, and the man felt something fall on
his other shoulder. He looked and saw that it was the Blood of
Jesus.
When he looked back
up, his eyes met those of Jesus, and there was a look of love the
man had never seen or known before. Jesus said, "I don't deserve
this either, but I forgive you."
When Jesus died on the
cross, he was thinking of you! |
