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Teach Me To Forgive
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 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 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.
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