| Pastor Jay D. Schmidt |
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The more I explore this faith we have inherited from our forbearers, the more I realize
that I still have a long way to go on this spiritual journey. Here is just one reason why I say
that. I find it far more than curious that the first word that Jesus utters in agony from the cross is
“Father forgive.” As Dr. Will Willimon has noted.* It’s hard to comprehend, considering “such
blood, violence, injustice, crushed bone, and ripped sinew, the hands nailed to the wood. With all
the possible words…the first thing he says is ‘Father forgive.’ Earlier he commanded us to forgive
our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. We thought he meant that as a metaphor.” (I
can tell you I’ve never uttered a prayer for Osama Bin Laden.)
OK, so I’m admitting I need to look at this forgiveness thing. God doesn’t come to us charging us
with our guilt. God doesn’t even wait until I finally garner the courage to ask for forgiveness.
Willimon also noted that “If God had waited to talk with me until I finally admit that I’m a
sinner the conversation would never have gotten started. So the first thing we hear is,
‘You are forgiven’.”
That’s not the way we humans usually go about things. Before we forgive (if we forgive), we need
to see how really sorry the culprit is. We want restitution and compensation. But that’s not what
Jesus did. Instead, Jesus preemptively forgave. He forgave even without any remorse on our
part.
That kind of forgiveness is completely contrary to anything we find in our world.
The reason I am focusing on it is that this radical forgiveness is at the very core of the person of
Jesus Christ. Because of that fact it begs the question: “How am I doing with forgiveness?” That
just might be a good place for me to start as I enter the season of Lent. What is it that prevents
me from forgiving? What does it do to me inside when I resort to resentment and even hate when
I refuse to forgive?
I’m grateful for Lent because it pushes me to move in my faith journey when I don’t want to. On
the other hand, I’m glad it’s only 40 days out of the year.
(Taken from Will Willimon’s book: Thank God It’s Friday)
that I still have a long way to go on this spiritual journey. Here is just one reason why I say
that. I find it far more than curious that the first word that Jesus utters in agony from the cross is
“Father forgive.” As Dr. Will Willimon has noted.* It’s hard to comprehend, considering “such
blood, violence, injustice, crushed bone, and ripped sinew, the hands nailed to the wood. With all
the possible words…the first thing he says is ‘Father forgive.’ Earlier he commanded us to forgive
our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. We thought he meant that as a metaphor.” (I
can tell you I’ve never uttered a prayer for Osama Bin Laden.)
OK, so I’m admitting I need to look at this forgiveness thing. God doesn’t come to us charging us
with our guilt. God doesn’t even wait until I finally garner the courage to ask for forgiveness.
Willimon also noted that “If God had waited to talk with me until I finally admit that I’m a
sinner the conversation would never have gotten started. So the first thing we hear is,
‘You are forgiven’.”
That’s not the way we humans usually go about things. Before we forgive (if we forgive), we need
to see how really sorry the culprit is. We want restitution and compensation. But that’s not what
Jesus did. Instead, Jesus preemptively forgave. He forgave even without any remorse on our
part.
That kind of forgiveness is completely contrary to anything we find in our world.
The reason I am focusing on it is that this radical forgiveness is at the very core of the person of
Jesus Christ. Because of that fact it begs the question: “How am I doing with forgiveness?” That
just might be a good place for me to start as I enter the season of Lent. What is it that prevents
me from forgiving? What does it do to me inside when I resort to resentment and even hate when
I refuse to forgive?
I’m grateful for Lent because it pushes me to move in my faith journey when I don’t want to. On
the other hand, I’m glad it’s only 40 days out of the year.
(Taken from Will Willimon’s book: Thank God It’s Friday)