“Father forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” Luke 23:34

At my house I’ve done many things to try to build the environment where I want to live.  That has included things like painting, planting, building with much thought and sweat.  I have been relatively successful.  Then recently came……….THE SQUIRRELS!  They have entered the attic through the gutters and have the potential to do significant damage.  Yet while wanting them gone, these are juveniles and I have to admit there is a certain amount of cuteness to them.  So I didn’t want to put out poison or some other type of method that would bring about their demise.  So the plan was to put non-lethal traps in place and then relocate them to a woods some miles from my home.

So what does this have to do with anything especially concerning the above referenced scripture?  In placing the traps I sliced my finger open on the sharp edge and blood began to spill out.  And I got angry.  I’m trying to build my little world and along come the squirrels.  I didn’t ask for them to be there.  I can’t completely control them.  I didn’t want to spend the money on the traps nor spend the time setting the traps and transporting the squirrels.  And finally to add injury to insult now blood is flowing due to these furry malcontents.  At that point I had no good feeling towards those squirrels let alone any love.

How amazing is the contrast with Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father.  John testifies in the bible that Jesus Christ was there in the beginning.  Nothing was created without Him.  He and Our Heavenly Father created all that exists, to include us, through and for Love.  He has a plan and with great effort He is completing it.  Yet the very part of creation He calls very good, mankind is rebelling against Him.  We are running amok in His attic.  And blood was spilt.  Not just a cut finger but the blood of an entire Body.  God Himself; in the person of Jesus Christ shed His blood.  Christ was not just building a cross and cut His finger on the wood, He was nailed to the cross by those whom He created.

So how is it that Our Heavenly Father did not become so angry as to send us away for ever to the woods of death, darkness and despair?  If any of us were to say:  “God or Christ should not be angry with me because I did not drive those nails in to His flesh”, understand that He died for all or our  sins; now and in the future.  We are responsible.  Christ did not call angels down, who were ready to come, to avenge His mistreatment.  What did He call out with one of His last breaths? “Father forgive them………”

That is an incomprehensible type of Love.  A Love that has the ability to in one sense convict us of our complete and total falleness and in another sense uplift us to the highest of heights.  For indeed, that was the plan.  I/we should strive each day to display that kind of love knowing that the world would have us spew thoughts and words of hate.  Yet we are not Christ and we will fall short.  And when we do Christ; the risen Christ, full of power, majesty plus mercy, and forgiveness will look upon us and say “Father forgive them……..”  And Our Heavenly Father, knowing the perfect sacrifice of blood by His Son, will answer:  “They are forgiven!”

May we all feel love of our Risen Savior, Heavenly Father and Holy Spirit today.

Amen