forgiveness

Monday: While the members of the Sanhedrin were throwing stones at Stephen, he prayed. "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit," he said. Then he fell on his knees. He cried out, "Lord! Don't hold this sin against them!" When he had said this, he died. Stephen was not spared from the evil done against him. Stephen was spared from doing evil in return, even if that evil could at this point be only a thought or a prayer. He was connected to the love of God and was given the gift of the Spirit. That gift enabled him to live in peace and grace and in the end, even that horrible end, to utter the same thoughts as Jesus on the cross, “forgive them.” Could we do the same? Could we follow the way, the truth and the life of grace and forgive those who would do such a thing in our lives? The answer is no, not without the spirit of God in us. Without that, we to might utter such cries as bring it on.