Chosen to Forgive 选择原谅

[Dexu Xia]

Chosen to Forgive

Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. Luke 23:34

As a middle-schooler, Patrick Ireland first sensed God had chosen him for something. But what? Later as a survivor of the horrific Columbine (Colorado) High School massacre where thirteen were killed and twenty-four wounded, including Patrick, he began to understand an answer.

Through his long recovery, Patrick learned that clinging to bitterness causes further wounding. God showed Patrick that the key to forgiveness is to stop focusing on what others have done to us and to focus on what Jesus has done for us. Christ’s words on the cross toward His tormenters, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34), fulfilled Zechariah the priest’s prophecy of Jesus’ forgiveness (1:77). Additionally, His example revealed a purpose for Patrick, and twenty years after the tragedy, Patrick shared, “Maybe I was chosen to forgive.”

While most of us will not endure an unimaginable calamity such as the one committed at Columbine, each of us has been wronged in some way. A spouse betrays. A child rebels. An employer abuses. How do we move forward? Maybe we look to the example of our Savior. In the face of rejection and cruelty, He forgave. It is through Jesus’ forgiveness of our sins that we, ourselves, find salvation, which includes the ability to forgive others. And like Patrick, we can choose to let go of our bitterness to open our hearts to forgiveness.

Is your heart open to forgive? How might you experience more of the salvation Jesus died to provide by choosing to move toward forgiving someone who has wronged you?

Dear Father, show me who I’m chosen to forgive today, and give me the strength to offer the forgiveness You died to provide.

选择原谅

父啊，赦免他们！因为他们所做的，他们不晓得。—路加福音23章34节

派翠克（Patrick Ireland）在中学时就觉得上帝拣选了他，但不知道上帝要他做什么。后来，哥伦拜恩高中（位于科罗拉多州）发生校园枪击事件，造成13人死亡，24人受伤，派翠克是其中一名伤者。这次的侥幸生存让他开始有了答案。

在漫长的复原过程中，派翠克明白沉溺在苦毒中只会受更多伤害。上帝让他认识到原谅的关键是不再专注于别人对我们做了什么，而是专注耶稣为我们做了什么。基督在十架上为那些迫害祂的人祈求，说：“父啊，赦免他们！因为他们所做的，他们不晓得”（路加福音23章34节）。这应验了祭司撒迦利亚所说，耶稣会施行赦免的预言（路加福音1章77节）。耶稣树立的典范显明了派翠克被拣选的目的。在那件惨案发生的20年之后，派翠克说：“或许上帝拣选我来原谅他人。”

虽然我们多数不会遭遇像枪击事件那样的灾难，但我们或多或少都会受到一些伤害，或许是配偶的背叛、孩子的忤逆，又或是雇主的恶待。我们该如何面对呢？或许我们该效法救主耶稣的榜样，当祂面对世人的残忍与拒绝时，祂愿意赦免他们。正因为耶稣赦免我们的罪，我们自己才能获得救赎，也才有能力去原谅别人。我们也可以像派翠克一样，选择放开自己的痛苦，敞开心怀去宽恕别人。

天父，求祢让我知道，今天我要原谅谁？
耶稣已藉着死赦免了我的罪，
求祢赐我力量去原谅他人。

你愿意宽容饶恕人吗?当你选择原谅那个伤害你的人，
你如何更深地体会到耶稣借死亡而赐下的救恩呢?