Luke 23:34 -- "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do."
Like you, I've read this verse many times. Always I'm impressed by the selfless beauty of Jesus in being willing to forgive His vicious persecutors. But this time I was struck by the pain as I realized, more deeply, that there can never be true forgiveness without pain.
These brutal actions by hell-fired sinners could not simply be written off by a verbal request. In asking for their forgiveness, Jesus signed a cheque for untold agony which would be charged to His personal account.
Not just their sin but MINE also .....
"Mine, mine was the transgression,
but Thine the deadly pain" -- instead of --
"so I must bear the pain." Forgiven ... because!
Is there anyone I need to forgive? Have I said the words of forgiveness without bearing the cost? Are there nasty little feelings lurking in my heart? True forgiveness requires painful cost; the cost of bearing the wrong as if the perpetrator hadn't done it at all -- the cost of making it mine!
The only One Who can truly do this is the Sinless One Who became sin for us; -- He so truly absorbed our sins and their cost in His own Person, that He became every hurtful word and thing done by us or against us; and all the wrath of PURE HOLINESS and INVIOLABLE JUSTICE was poured out on Him.
Now He tells us to forgive in that same way. It would be impossible except that He did it all alone and pioneered the Forgiveness Highway. We are not alone; we are indwelt by the Pioneer Who empowers us so that the living water of cost-bearing forgiveness can flow from us.
Is there anyone I need to forgive?
With love and prayers,