Father, Forgive Them
“And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.””
PRAYER IN THE PAIN
At the height of suffering, Jesus' first words from the cross were forgiveness. Pain did not get the final word.
BEFORE ANY APOLOGY
No one there asked for pardon — and Jesus forgave anyway. True forgiveness does not wait for the other to deserve it.
THEY KNOW NOT
Jesus saw the blindness behind the cruelty. Seeing the ignorance of those who wound does not excuse the wrong, but it softens our heart.
PRAY FOR THOSE WHO HURT
Jesus did not talk about the soldiers; He spoke to the Father on their behalf. Praying for someone changes the one praying first.
A PATTERN FOR THE CHURCH
Stephen echoed this prayer as he died, and Saul was listening. Forgiveness preached from the cross still turns persecutors around.
PRAY THE HARD NAME
Act: before breakfast, pray for the person who hurt you most — by name — asking the Father to bless them.