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TEACH ME TO FORGIVE
One
day, 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.
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 the Cross. He
saw spikes in his hands, a gash in his side, and 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 to
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 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."
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