Today is the 29th day of Lent, a 40 day season of spiritual reflection, repentance, and renewal. During these 40 days we’ll explore the prayer life of Jesus, walking chronologically through every mention of Jesus’ prayer life and prayers in the Gospels.
Here is today’s prayer event: 32 Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. 33And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Lk. 23:32-34 ESV).
This intercessory prayer represents the height of prayer. There is no other prayer in Scripture that demonstrates the level of maturity and compassion found here. If prayer is a ladder, this one is the top rung. If prayer is a building, this is the top floor. If prayer is a mountain, this is the peak.
When despair and darkness hit, the natural reaction is to pray about ourselves and our pain. Jesus has elsewhere demonstrated how to do this. The non-natural reaction in times of pain is to pray about others, those whom we love. Jesus has also demonstrated how to do this—praying earlier for his disciples even as he faces death. Yet the supernatural reaction is to pray for the very people responsible for our pain. That is what Jesus does here. He takes prayer to its greatest height. There is no greater sign of spiritual maturity than to intercede for people who have injured us.
A friend of mine was once mistreated in his job by his superiors. It was a painful season of life. His natural reaction was to pray to God about the injustice. But not once, as far as I know, did he allow the Spirit to move him to the kind of prayer demonstrated by Jesus: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And year after year, I could see the bitterness and anger eat away at my friend’s soul.
My friend’s experience reveals the two reasons we should strive to reach this peak of prayer. Not only does praying this prayer ultimately bless others, it also blesses us. Though difficult, praying this prayer releases us from the prison of bitterness and anger which results from not praying it.
Bring to your mind someone who has hurt you, disappointed you, or caused you some pain. Now, repeat after Jesus: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
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This is such a hard way to pray, since it goes against our “nature”. I try to pray this way about students that I am having a hard time with. It helps me to keep things in perspective rather than just feel angry when they are resistant, defiant, or even insubordinate.
Top floor of maturity — absolutely!
Cathlyn, I too thought of my students. I find it easier to be so gracious with them because I know the final part of this prayer — “they know not what they do” — is very true of them.
There is a man who several years ago inflicted great harm on one of my loved ones. I haven’t met too many people I would honestly call “evil” but he is one. That man is now dying a slow, horrible death. I am certainly not glad about that; I am not depraved. At the same time I am not as sad about his fate as I know I should be. I tell myself the difference is because he knew exactly what he was doing.
But so did Jesus’ executioners. And so do I so many times I blatantly sin too.
This season of prayer has been a journey towards maturity for me. I say “towards” for a whole new world, that is, a whole new ‘direction’ of prayer has been shown to me. I wish I could say I have embraced it whole-heartedly, but quite honestly I have not. But for me, where I am at this time, just the possibility is miles away from where I was or have been. My prayer life is in flux. My prayers are changing. I find myself praying for things I thought I’d never hear myself praying for. Although I am far from my desires and aspirations to have a Christ-like prayer life, I can say I feel I have turned a HUGE corner. Praying like Jesus did on the cross is a prime example of the aspirations I hope to embrace someday.
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