Jesus Forgave Ceaselessly and Loved Exceedingly

What Did Jesus Do?

And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them…”
And Jesus said to the thief who was also being crucified,
“Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
Luke 23:34, 43

Pain makes me angry. Really. Like some wild beast with a wound that drives it crazy, when I’m hurt I can lose it in an instant. Like when the hammer hits the wrong nail. Or the garage door with the old, weak, stretched out spring hangs down just far enough, and at just the right angle, to crack my head open. Hey, I’ve got scars on my head to prove that the door has it in for me. And, even though hammers and doors don’t have parents, I will bellow in pain a few choice phrases about the subject. Pain makes me angry. Like when some does me wrong. I don’t usually say the things to them that I say to hammers and garage doors, but I will develop and nurture a pernicious enmity towards them that is totally contrary to who I’m supposed to be in Jesus. When I’m hurt, when the pain penetrates deep, I forget that I am a follower of Jesus, who forgave ceaselessly and loved exceedingly.

Think, for just a moment, about His forgiveness and His love. In particular, think about them in the context of Christ hanging on the cross. Even as the onlookers scoffed and mocked him in his dying agonies, Jesus pleaded for forgiveness of the ones who hated him and hurt him so much worse than I have ever, or will ever, be hurt. And, if people don’t know what they do, how much less a hammer or a garage door? So, I’m going public with my confession and forgiveness, “Hammer, I forgive you for all the times you’ve smashed my thumb. And, garage door, though I will carry the scars on my scalp to my grave, I forgive you too.” Guess that sounds kind of silly, doesn’t it? So, here’s something a little more serious, I’m forgiving all those people who have, and those who no doubt will sometime down the road, hurt me (Whether they know they’re hurting me or not), whom I have been so angry with. If this includes any of you who are reading this, I ask you to please forgive me for being not only a jerk, but so un-Christian towards you. And, as not only the Lord, but you also, are my witnesses, hold me accountable and help me to be as ceaselessly forgiving as my Savior.

Now, unlike the way so many practice forgiving and “forgetting” (You know, they forgive and forget how they are to love others, especially those who hurt them), I need to move on to the practice of loving like Jesus, which is to say exceedingly, which it to say deeply, fully, visibly, vocally, and to the very end. I mean, there are so many examples of Jesus loving so many people in so many ways, but I can’t think of one more moving than when the Lord loved the thief who was hanging on the cross next to his own, and pledged in effect to love him forever, for death could not and would not part them. THAT’s some kind of love! Even “crazy” love, the love of Christ for those who broke his heart, love even for his far from perfect bride.



I’m not going to presume to say it’s what’s wrong with your life, or the life of the Church, but I know it’s been messing up my life for a long time, hurt and anger that lead to unforgiveness and anything but love. Not that I’m going to be able to keep from being hurt, and losing it at least a little. But from this time on I don’t want to ever cease forgiving, and I want my love today to exceed my love yesterday, and my love tomorrow to exceed my love today, and on and on without end. That’s what Jesus did.

S.D.G.

Jim
www.jimwilkenministries.org
Marion, NC
PS 37.4