"Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." (Luke 23:34)
"Father"
These are the first recorded words we have from Jesus on the Cross. He begins with a prayer to our intimate heavenly Father. He does not address his beloved disciple John, nor the grieving women who followed him nor the religious leaders, nor the sinners on each side, nor the gawking crowd below. Jesus did not look at the people around him, but up to the Father above. He will only be able to see the people around him in proper perspective when he focuses on the Father first. Are our first thoughts toward God in everything?
"Father, forgive them"
But there's more. While in excruciating pain, Jesus asked God to forgive his tormentors. I don't know about you, but in the midst of the pain, especially when I am on the receiving end, I find it difficult to think about forgiveness. Christ's pain wasn't even over yet, it had just begun! The people on the receiving end of God's forgiveness certainly didn’t deserve it. They didn’t even ask for it. It wasn't even a past event. More was to come. Yet he still asked the Father to forgive them. What amazing grace! What amazing love! This may be the most powerful example of grace and forgiving love in the whole Bible.
"Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing."
Did the soldiers, the gawkers, the Jewish leaders, the angry spectators, fully comprehend the consequences of their actions? We don't know all the reasons they were there on that day at the cross. All we need to do is to think about ourselves a little -- How often do we actually think through the repercussions of what WE do? We may think we are doing the right things. We have noble ambitions. We may be protecting the truth. Standing up for righteousness. Making sure the wicked don't go unpunished. Our reasons may even be less than honorable or outright rebellious. In the end it doesn't really matter why they were there. They thought they knew what they were doing, but in the eternal scheme of things they had no clue!
But Christ's concern wasn't the "Why?" When faced with persecution, with trials, with pain, our first response is to ask God "why?" Maybe we want to understand to have a reason to grant forgiveness! But Christ's didn't need a reason. True love doesn't need a reason. His first response was reconciliation, forgiveness, grace!
That's the first and final conclusion of the cross - grace - God loved us first, taking the initiative to reconcile with us, even at the greatest possible cost to himself.
May this Easter season be a time of reconciliation for all of us! Don't ask for an explanation. Don't try to understand. Don't wait for someone to ask you for forgiveness. Don't focus on what is happening down here. Focus on your heavenly Father. Look up in prayer on their behalf. When you do, you will find the grace to take the first loving steps toward loving forgiveness for those around you, regardless of what they are doing, or why they are doing it. Simply forgive and leave the rest up to God!
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