Awaken The Dawn

The Glorious Climax: Cries from the Cross

found emotional and spiritual significance. We will focus on the three prayers He directed to the heavenly Father.

Father, Forgive Them Jesus’ first words from the cross were, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” 3 Thus He begins (and later ends) His vigil on the cross, ever conscious of His heavenly Father and His will that must be done. As soldiers gambled for His garments at the foot of the cross, while religious bigots hurled accusations at Him, as the disciples scattered and malefactors on either side taunted him—Jesus forgave them all. In the prayer He taught the disciples, the one phrase which merited His personal commentary was “forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” 4 Right at the end of the prayer He said: I cannot help but think now of how Jesus awakened morn- ing by morning to be taught by the Father and to be given words of comfort for the weary. Jesus is able to pray this magnificent prayer of forgiveness from the cross because of the Father’s grace that has been worked in Him morn- ing by morning. He has come to see people as the Father saw them. This same attitude also worked powerfully in the early Church. Stephen, the first recorded martyr, fell on his knees as he died, crying loudly: “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” 6 161 For if you forgive men for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions. 5