I forgive you

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 t ears 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.”

One Response to “I forgive you”

  1. howeamiller Says:
    May 16th, 2009 at 9:39 am

    Your blog is amazing,i really like all the word and the style.

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