Father forgive them, but don't tell me they didnt know what they were doing

Jesus is heading up Calvary’s hill, beat half to death, bloody, weakened and he reaches the top only to be laid down and nailed to the cross and then raised high and dropped with a thud in the hole prepared for his tree. And then it happened, he saw them in full view. The ones who screamed for his death. The ones who had been purposely plotting since he raised Lazarus to put him away, for good. They had managed in a short few days to turn public opinion so vehemently against him that the same people who earlier in the week had thought he was come to be their King were screaming in unison for his head.

But here's what trips me up. When Jesus looked full in their rage filled faces he said “Father forgive them for they know not what they do”. Really?! They had been plotting, even with the devil himself getting involved,  really?! They “know not what they do”? Not so fast Jesus, don't you dare let them off the hook like that. They knew exactly what they were doing. And they don't deserve to be forgiven at all. They deserve death not some pass like they didn’t know what was up.

But Jesus was right about them. He always is. Did you ever think about what he was saying.  The Bible reminds us “we don't wrestle against flesh and blood”, there is something else going on, something spiritual, something other than, bigger than just what you and I are seeing. The Bible tells us when we show people the truth we are setting the captive free. The devil has taken them captive to do his will.

Listen dear friends who were abused as a child or date raped or who got addicted to a drug or lost in a physical affair with someone else's spouse.  Is it possible that the devil was using you to steal, kill and destroy you, to wreak havoc on your family, to destroy generations to come? 

We see people day after day that in their innocence the devil used an uncle or neighbor to destroy their soul and when they finally face this deep wound they almost cannot forgive.  Are you kidding me!? Let him off the hook? He ruined thirty years of my life?!

Friend, if you can hear the words of Jesus today and realize that they were used by Satan to destroy you, that they were blind and dead and wicked and yes, RESPONSIBLE  but could it be that we could see it from Jesus’ perspective...

Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.

Help us Lord, help us see.