| TEACH ME TO FORGIVE 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 didn't deserve this either, but I
forgive you." It may be hard to see how
you're going to get through something, but when
you look back in life, you realize how true this
statement is. Read the first line slowly and let
it sink in.
This
is simple, and important. Read on... This first
line is deep.
If
God brings you to it - He will bring you through
it. Lord I love You and I need You, come into my
heart, today.
For
without You I can do nothing.
|
