Forgiveness

Two young boys are up early watching a baseball game they recorded thenight before. They casually toss a baseball as they watch the game. Sure,they aren’t supposed to play catch in the living room, especially with a realbaseball, but it’s not a big deal, right? Not a big deal, until the ball, tossedfrom the older brother to the younger brother, deflected by the youngerbrother’s glove, flies directly into the bottom right hand corner of theirfather’s large, flat screen, high definition television. The pictureimmediately disappears and is replaced by lines and colors and flashinglights. The older brother, sensing the gravity of the situation, runs to find hismother. White as a sheet, tears in his eyes, he spits out the words “the ball”“the TV.” His mother, sharing his panic yells, “Watch the baby! I’ll checkit out!” And soon returns with the simple proclamation, “Yep, it’s broken.”They immediately email the father who had left for work just momentsearlier, and within a short period of time he returns, wondering what couldbe so urgent. The boys wait for him in their bedroom, dreading the rapidlyapproaching moment of truth. When he comes into their room they againspit out only a few words before the father begins to understand what hashappened. “Are you kidding me?” he shouts as he storms into the livingroom. “I can’t believe this!” “I’ve told you guys over and over to not playball in the house!” His anger is clearly justified. The children tearfullyapologize then wait in silence, wondering what will become of them. Theirfather delivers the verdict: “You guys are in huge trouble!” Then thepunishment: “No sports, no video games, and obviously, no TV.” And he,once again, leaves for work.The day is quiet as days tend to be when the TV is broken and sports andvideo games are banned. Time for reading, drawing, reflection, andeventually, discussion. How long do you think daddy will be mad at us?Should we give him all of our money to help by a new TV? I think I have$14. Do you think he’ll still be talking about this when he gets home? Doyou think we’ll be able to have fun at the Dodgers-Mets game tonight or willhe still be mad at us? Their remorse is unmistakable. Their sorrow ispalpable. The TV is broken, but that’s not what hurts the most. The trust isbroken. The relationship is broken. And in a way they have neverexperienced before, these two little boys are longing for forgiveness.Well, I’m grateful to report that my boys have a gracious father. By the timethe day was over they had received exactly what they needed: hugs, smiles,full and complete forgiveness. But we all went to bed that Wednesday nightunderstanding a little more about the grace of God. Because, you see, weare all prodigal sons and daughters. We squander the inheritance our fatherhas given us. We turn our backs on our loving father, set out to do thingsour own way, and break the only relationship that has ever truly given uslife. And like my boys, we desperately need the Father’s forgiveness.It is important to note that, while their father’s forgiveness restored therelationship, it did nothing for the broken television. That will cost a lot andthe kids’ $14 isn’t going to help very much. No, as bad as the children feelabout their offense, the father himself will have to pay the price for thebroken television. Likewise, the forgiveness that God offers us isn’t free.Rather the price is extremely high – so high that we could never pay it onour own. This is the miracle of the cross. On the cross God himself paid theprice for our sins. On the cross, Jesus who had no sin, took our sins onhimself, clearing our record, erasing our guilt, cleansing our consciences,offering us the forgiveness we so desperately need. Thus, through Jesus wecan know true forgiveness. Through Jesus we can know a joyful, loving,life-giving, everlasting relationship with God.God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we mightbecome the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21)