“Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me?” (Matthew 18:21, NIV).

He was a crumpled retired marine in his 70s, looking older than his age. He described periods of severe malaise. “I get to where I can’t hardly get up” he said. “It lasts for a few days and then just goes away. No one can figure it out.” He told me how he had been estranged from his daughter for many years. She invited him to her wedding, but he was so sick that he stayed in the hotel room the whole weekend. “She won’t talk to me, anyway. She wouldn’t even let me carry her down the aisle. But she did ask me to wear my marine uniform.” “Why is she not talking to you?” I asked. “She says I hurt her feelings when she was young. I can’t even remember how or when.”

Some people never forget and never forgive. (My wife never forgets, but at least she forgives.)

Forgiveness was never an accepted theme for humankind until Christ came. It’s still not, apart from His presence. So many wars, so much revenge, so many broken relationships. A friend of mine had to have two separate Christmas dinners this year because his two sons refused to be in the same room with each other.

One of the most revolutionary teachings Jesus brought us during His days as human was the necessity of forgiveness. He spoke it, He lived it and He died for it.

He gave us the possibility of forgiving those who hurt us most. It is only through His resurrected presence that we are freed from the power of sin and able, through Him, to forgive those who have caused us great pain; otherwise, our forgiveness would be superficial, incomplete or impossible.

Jesus forgave those who hung Him on the cross.

Erika Kirk publicly forgave her husband’s assassin through the power of the crucified One in her life.

Is there someone in my life I need to forgive through the power of Christ in me?

Dear God,

Help me to forgive, when I cannot.

Amen