Luke 23:33‭-‬35 And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” And they divided His garments and cast lots. And the people stood looking on. But even the rulers with them sneered, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God.”

Jesus’ prayer in the persecution was ‘Father forgive them for they know not what they do’. The 1st martyr after Jesus, Stephen, also prayed the same thing for Paul and the killers who were stoning him(Acts 7:59-60). Paul who was then Saul, later got converted and we know how great influence he had with the spread of the Gospel. We would have attained a significant victory if we are able to forgive and convert as many of these people to the Lord.

In the midst of affliction and persecution, your prayer must be one: “FATHER FORGIVE THEM FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO!” That’s the Jesus way.

In the midst of a cosmic salvation plan, where the people he came to save were the same ones driving 8inches of nail through his hands and legs, and slandering him and making mockery of him. They slapped him, beat him, insulted him. The Bible says, he simply looked at them and prayed for them: “Father forgive them for they know not what they do”.

Oh what a heart of love and compassion. Dear Lord Jesus, reproduce yourself in us through and through until we THINK like you, SPEAK like you, SEE like you and ACT like you. Amen!

              GRACEFUL MORNING