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 following first line slowly and
let it sink in.
If God brings you to it - He
will bring you through it.
Our
Prayer for today:
Lord I love You and I need You, come into my heart, today. For without You I can do nothing.
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