On Forgiveness

S:
Luke 23:39-43
One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!” But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? “And we indeed [are suffering] justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!” And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”

O:
There are three things that jump out of this passage for me. First, forgiveness requires humility. The criminal who asked to be remembered is humble because he sees himself, and his circumstances, in light of who God is. He is impressed by the nature of the One with whom he hangs. Secondly, forgiveness requires a request. The man ASKS Jesus to remember him. He seeks Jesus gracious favor, despite his complete lack of meriting the slightest consideration from the Lord. And thirdly, forgiveness produces restoration. Jesus says, "Today you shall be with Me..." And he goes further, not "you will be with me here on these crosses", but "with me in paradise."

A:
So often, I see forgiveness as a check-in-the-box. "I'm sorry (fill in the blank with the offended party)."

"Sure, no worries. It's okay."

This seems such a pedestrian take on a spiritually monumental happening. And yet it characterizes the way I engage forgiveness with God and others.

I'm impoverished by my small view of forgiveness. Jesus wants to take me to paradise when I ask forgiveness. He wants to restore communion, and fellowship. To re-open the floodgates of ministry. If the Lord can assure a criminal on a cross of communion in paradise, then there is great power and mystery in this small word: forgiven. I should be in awe of God's grace to me, and through me as I am privileged to be forgiven and to forgive.

P:
Dear Lord, please capture my heart with the depths of your love expressed in your desire to forgive. You went to the Cross to make it possible forgiveness possible, and I want to always be gripped by that act of completely selfless love.