Forgiveness by Frankie Dawson

John 20:23-24 New International Version (NIV)

23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

Luke 5:20 says, “When Jesus saw their faith, He said ‘Friend, your sins are forgiven.’” Colossians 2:13-14 says Jesus forgave all our sins. All these passages confirm that Jesus is the one who forgives sin, and He forgives all of our sins.

My conversation with Jesus.

Me: Great, I don’t forgive them their sins.

Jesus: Who?

Me: The military, United States Air Force, Government who kept silent knowing what was being done, the civilian world who permit the veterans to do anything they want!

Lord, don’t you know? These fucks that have been making my life a living hell…since 1968…the rapes, the people, the system, principalities, attempted murder of me, lies, slander, theft,

Lord, can you imagine a man’s finger exploring your most secret place, tongue, wet, feces..

Did you ever have a man penetrate and suck your being while your mind is set on fire with helplessness? Switching back and forth between hate and anger…watching the eyes of military bystanders, men and women of my peers…you see in their eager eyes a sick satisfaction and they don’t even know why, because they’re glad it’s happening to me, oh, God…how can you possibly expect me to forgive them their sins???

Jesus: I told you, they did it to me.

Me: You mean you were raped? Stripped naked, sexually molested? We haven’t been told that. Just before His crucifixion, Jesus was scourged by the Romans (John 19:1) I heard them Romans were some cruel mother fuckers.

Jesus: Everything done to you was done to me and I forgave them. If you want my power and authority, and you have it because you are my body…you must forgive.

I have an assignment for you…I want you to minister to my lost sheep. I want you to ask them to forgive you…

Me: (wimpering) Lord, have you lost your mind? I can’t, WHY? Why must I forgive when they are still doing this to me, even today…and why must I ask them to forgive ME?

Jesus: …for your healing.

Me: WHAT? I am the victim here, my healing? You’re telling me to ask those bastards to forgive me? Don’t tell me about Love and repenting and all that Biblical shit! Are you listening to me? Whose side are you on?

Jesus: Romans 8:31 What can we say about all of this? If God is for us, who can be against us? Jeremiah 20:11 But the LORD is with me like a fearsome warrior. Psalm 118:6 The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?

ME: Bitter? anger and disappointment at being treated unfairly; resentment. Lord, I really am not in the mood for this right now…when the real deal is Rejection. They rejected me…they didn’t accept me then, they sho’ as hell don’t accept me now!

Jesus: They did it to me…your choice.

Isaiah 53:3 He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.

John 1:11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.

John 15:18 If the world hates you, keep in mind the it hated me first.

Me: Forgive me world, military, United States…can you ever forgive me? Forgive me for telling the truth…this is the best I have to offer, Lord…the rest is up to you…