By Maridel Sandberg, TFG President/CEO
We’ve all experienced different levels of these agonies:
Hurt.
Rejection.
Anger.
Bitterness.
Unforgiveness.
Betrayal.
And in return we cry out words like:
“You’re going to pay for this.”
“You owe me.”
“I’m going to get back at you…”
The spirit of offense is heavy.
Our agony and pain are real. Our emotions are high. All we want is justice. We want someone to pay.
Yet today we remember the most horrific event in all of history: an innocent man, Jesus the Christ, crucified.
He understands what it feels like to be betrayed, rejected and assaulted. He laid down his life to make sure we wouldn’t have to carry these agonies any longer.
With his last breath he said, “It is finished.”
The work was complete.
He died so we could be forgiven, so we in turn could radically forgive others who have hurt us.
This is the upside down, complete redemption and reversal that happened at the cross. This is what we remember this Good Friday. This is the power of the blood of Christ freely given so we can have the freedom to forgive others.
On Easter Sunday we celebrate the most glorious event in history: Jesus who was crucified defeating death and rising from the grave, paying the full payment to cover all of our sins – forever.
The agony of death transformed into triumphant victory – providing us a way to walk in freedom – no longer chained by our experiences but freed, redeemed, healed, restored and empowered to extend this same crazy love to everyone around us.
This Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:43-44, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…”
We can’t do this on our own, but that same blood shed on Calvary is available even now as He gives us the power to forgive.
Jesus paid it all, all to him I owe!
