John 18:4-6

Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?” 5 “Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “I am he,” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) 6 When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. - John 18:4-6

Dear Jesus,

How perfectly you laid out the stage for your persecutors to come to faith later. They would look back on the day they thought they had control to kill you and feel so guilty for their deliberate sin. Then Satan would come and whisper, "You could never be forgiven. Your sin was too deliberate, too treacherous." But then they would remember how you threw them to the ground by turning yourself in. They would know that you had chosen to die for them too. They would learn to trust your unconditional love. I see that you laid the stage for my grace and faith too. I've learned by watching you knock them to the ground, that you turned yourself in for my treacherous sins too. I cannot believe the lie that my sin is too grievous to be forgiven. Your willing sacrifice for grievous sinners covers all my sins, even the worst, even the latest. Thank you for your overwhelming love. Give me the power through faith in you to reflect this same love to those who would betray, ignore and persecute me. Help me show them who you are by how I still love them even though they hurt me or let me down.

Amen

Pastor Don Patterson

Love that sees the sin coming and forgives in advance is the truest kind.