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. Lord
I love You and I need You, come into my heart, today. For
without You I can do nothing .
