Good Friday

It’s Good Friday. Last night as I was almost asleep, I pondered Jesus’ sacrifice, especially the fact He was scourged. His skin was lacerated, his muscles shredded. As one who has suffered the pain of involuntarily tight muscles in my back, resulting from not being struck or torn, I couldn’t imagine the pain of muscles undergoing what He experienced. And I thought, I wonder if He was somehow anesthetized. Maybe a grace of God or something.

But He said, “I felt it.”

Gulp. “You did? Why would you willingly go through that?”

“I did it for you. For the love of you.”

Wow.

“…looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Heb 12:2)

You are the joy set before Him. You are the reason why.

And it didn’t stop with those lacerations. He then went to the cross. For you. A perfect, sinless sacrifice so you and I could be forgiven by a holy God.

And thank God it didn’t stop with the cross or the grave!

Jesus arose! He lives. He lives in me and in everyone who believes. Whosoever will may come.

Come to the cross this Good Friday and lay your life down in exchange for His. He loves you. He died for you. He has Easter gifts for you today: forgiveness and new life.