Father forgive them for they know not what they do!
Some of Jesus last words as he hung on the cross.Truer words have not been spoken! Jesus fulfilled His destiny. We too are destined by God to fullfill our purpose if we believe! God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us.
Sitting at a Seder table, celebrating the Passover on Holy Thursday a couple and their little boy sat down across from us. My friend said to the little boy, “Whats your name?” “Mike” he said. As we introduced ourselves to the couple, they in turn introduced their selves as Amanda and Mike. Oh, Judy said, your “big Mike”. Quickly and loudly so everyone would hear, the little guy proudly piped up and said, “And I’m LITTLE MIKE!” I sensed that had his name been Charlie or John he wouldn’t have been quite so proud. But he had been called by his fathers name. Mike. It was evident that he was elated to have the same name as his daddy. Throughout the meal he would listen to the Seder readings and instructions and then turn to watch “Big Mike”. When “Big Mike” broke his matzoh so did little Mike. When Big MIke dipped his parsley in salt water to represent the tears shed by the Hebrews during slavery, so did little Mike.
1 Peter 1:3-5 (NASB) says,
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
Nothing we did! Nothing we do will ever deserve what God did for us! It was all grace! It was all mercy! Just as His birthday was a gift to us, likewise His dying and resurrection was an even greater gift of grace. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus we are given a living hope and, if we admit we are sinners – believe – and commit to trust Him with out lives, doing life His way, not in our own ability but in the power He has given us, we are given ETERNAL life.
1 Thessalonians 5:4-11
…for you are all sons of light and sons (and daughters!) of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober. For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him. Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.
Searching the web I found hundreds of video’s of babies and children caught on camera imitating their daddies sneeze, smile, mannerisms and yes unfortunately even curse words! Just like little Mike children grow up to be imitators of their parents! While this tells us that we need to be careful what little eyes hear and see, it is also a great example of how we too should imitate our Heavenly Father!
Like little Mike, we are called by our Fathers name! We are Christ followers! We have inherited His Spirit! Are we watching closely to see what our Heavenly Daddy does?
He tells us, to those who believe He has given us power- incomparably great power, power that is like the working of His mighty strength! The same power that raised Christ from the dead! (Ephesians 1:19)
He has given us the power in Christ to say of those who have transgressed against us… who played a part in the drama of our life, who have despised, abandoned and rejected us… lied and caused us pain, tears, and anguish, “I forgive them for they know not what they do.” Just as He, Jesus, said of those who crucified Him, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Amazing! Maybe its time we get out of the boat! Maybe its time we do what seems like the impossible and be imitators of our Heavenly Father!
jeannie's Cross Road 