Unfinished Business

Meditations on

Staying in the Grace for Today 

March 20, 2026

Unfinished Business

Jesus said,

“Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”

Luke 23:34a 

Why did Jesus extend forgiveness to those who were murdering him? The murderers neither asked for, nor apparently wanted his forgiveness; in the very next verse we learn the soldiers started gambling for his garments. I have long assumed Jesus’ prayer for forgiveness was an indication that he was so much a better person than those gathered at his feet. Unquestionably that is true, but there was so much more at work in Jesus’ prayer.

Jesus was practicing what he preached; he was praying for his enemies. He also modeled for us the importance of tending to all the unfinished business in our lives. When we have been hurt by others, our offer of forgiveness is liberating. Our forgiveness of others enables us to move on with our lives. So also, when we have sinned against others, when we seek forgiveness, we are free to move on with our lives. However, our unwillingness to forgive, or to seek forgiveness, keeps us bound in chains to our past.

My Takeaway: Jesus prayed for those who nailed him to the cross. That prayer set him free to offer another prayer a few hours later, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit” (Luke 23:46a NRSV).

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

 

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2026 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.