One easter as i read through the story of the crucifixion, I spent several hours deliberating over the words of Christ when He cried in anguish from the cross, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?'
The idea that the Father would allow His Son to suffer the torture of the crucifixion is beyound me...
The humiliation of nakedess, the searing pain, the spit of drunken solders, the scorn of laughing, jeering mob.
When the crowd thinned and the cowards took shelter from the lashing storm, Jesus was left alone. As tears mingled with blood on His battered face,He cried out to His Father-the One who had not once turned away from Him in all eternity. The reply was cold, unmoving silence. In those horrible moments God Himself poured the judgment for our sins upon Jesus. Every sin imaginable: lusting and lying...cheating and covting...muder and hypocrisy...cruelty and deceit. Of course, Christ had never been guilty of any of those sins. But we are. And every one of your sins and mine was racked up on His account right there on that cross As prophet testified:
SURELY HE TOOK UP OUR INFIRMITIES AND CARRIED OUR SORROWS....HE WAS PIERCED FOR OUR TRANSGRESSIONS:THE PUNISHMENT THAT BROUGHT US PEACE WAS UPON HIM,AND BY HIS STRIPS WE ARE HEALED. WE ALL, LIKE SHEEP, HAVE GONE ASTRAY, EACH OF US HAS TURNED HIS OWN WAY: AND THE LORD HAS LAID ON HIM THE INIQUITY US ALL.
ISAIAH 53:4.5-6.
So where was God's goodness in treating Christ so? Where was the Father's kindness in turning His back on His only Son while Jesus cries out in horror and grief?
On that terrible, wounderful day, God" goodness and kindness were directed toward you. God forsook His own Son....so that He would never have to frosake you! And because of those dark hours two thousand years ago, God can say to me. "I will never leave you. I will never forsake you." As I pondered that amazing thought, I felt ashamed. The goodness of God was indeed leading me to repentance. To think that God's anger for my sins was poured put on Christ-and that He has no anger left for me!
You know what that makes me want to do? Praise Him.Thank Him. Honor Him. Obey Him. with all my heart and soul and mind. Unlike Christ,I will never have to agonize over separation from my Father. And neither will you. God poured the full measure of His wrath-the terrors of eternal hell-on his Son... so that you and I could be adopted into His family.
That's how much He loves you. And me.
If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord' and belive in your heart that God raised Him from the dead,you shll be saved (Romans 10:9). -Joni Eareckson Tada
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
Amazing Love!
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6 comments:
thank you for reminding me of the incredible gift we have! I like the way you put it, made me get a little teary eyed. Thank God for Easter!!
Thanks for your comment!!:)
Amen Brother!!!
We should never forget about The Lord's Death on The Cross paying penalty for our sin. But don't stop there, we are who we are in Christ because of his RESURRECTION.
Because HE LIVES, we have new life and adopted into Father's family and we can call God ABBA Father.
Let the universe know, out Lord Jesus Christ LIVES!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great Post Ricki and thank you for sharing "amazing love" with us.
Right on!
i love Joni Erikson Tada's stuff! an awesome reminder!!! thank you!
Just had to say that I read a book, Idioms in the Bible Explained by George M. Lamsa, who is an expert on Aramaic and he says that that we have translated "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me" incorrectly, but it does not change the meaning.
"Eli, Eli, Lmana SabachthaniIn" in Aramaic actually means - "My God, my God for this I was kept. (this was my destiny - I was born for this)."
This has made all the difference for me. God will never forsake his Son or us.
Great book! Some of it is online.
Blessings! and thanks for your witness!
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