Mar 27 - Father, Forgive Them

Father, forgive them, for

they do not know what they do.

Luke 23:34

For the next few days – at the tail end of holy week – we’ll be focusing on some of the last words of Jesus.

Our first word, for this week, is actually the final word regarding the life and death of Jesus.

Why did he come? At his birth, the angel told Joseph to name him “Jesus.” Why? “Because he will save his people from their sins" (Mt 1:21). He came to forgive us … and save us.

And when he died, he had this same purpose on his lips – forgiveness.

If Jesus’ life and death are ALL about forgiveness, then our reflections during the next few days, ought to start and finish with confession.

Not the kind of confession  that’s terminally guilty and beats you up again and again. We flame-out in guilt and grief whenever old sins sprout again along the branches we thought we’d already chopped off months ago. (Have you ever gone back, frustratingly, to an old sin, old habit? Of course you have. Me too!)

It’s because we keep cutting off branches … not digging up roots. This Holy Week, do the one who died for you a favor. Examine the roots of your sin – not in perpetual guilt, but understanding that Jesus’ love for you is so immense that he wants to help you grow something new and glorious in place of the old patterns and old hurts.

In Christ’s Love,

a guy who better

start digging