Of course I know that Jesus hung on a cross, bearing the suffering of excruciating physical pain, the humiliation of nakedness and insults, and all the wrath of heaven that should have been ours.
I just never thought about the fact that it lasted for six hours.
As we had devotions this morning, I told the kids, "You know, this was about the time of day that Jesus was nailed to the cross."
Then we cleaned up the kitchen,
did our morning chores,
went for a bike ride,
had a snack,
and thought about the fact that only an hour and a half had gone by.
Then we did some school work,
took some baths,
had lunch,
and a rest time,
and another snack because my kids were starving,
and finished a chapter book together.
Six hours.
It's a long time.
A long time to think about someone else suffering for the sin I often take so lightly and excuse so easily.
"It was my sin that held Him there,
until it was accomplished...
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer.
But this I know with all my heart:
His wounds have paid my ransom"
...I'm also thinking about how completely He was surrounded by insults and mockery.
They were heaped on Him by the Roman soldiers, the Jewish leaders, the criminals around him, and those who passed by.
Not that He ever lived for the approval of man anyway.
Hebrews tells us that He endured it all for the joy set before Him, and I wonder if He had any kind of vision at that moment of how many would come to the cross through the years, see it for all that it is, and be moved to say thank you with so deep a gratitude that words could hardly express it.
until it was accomplished...
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer.
But this I know with all my heart:
His wounds have paid my ransom"
...I'm also thinking about how completely He was surrounded by insults and mockery.
They were heaped on Him by the Roman soldiers, the Jewish leaders, the criminals around him, and those who passed by.
Not that He ever lived for the approval of man anyway.
Hebrews tells us that He endured it all for the joy set before Him, and I wonder if He had any kind of vision at that moment of how many would come to the cross through the years, see it for all that it is, and be moved to say thank you with so deep a gratitude that words could hardly express it.
"For God so loved the world
that He gave His only Son,
that whoever believes in Him
would not perish but have eternal life."
John 3:16
that He gave His only Son,
that whoever believes in Him
would not perish but have eternal life."
John 3:16
3 comments:
Your little sis sent me over.
What a beautiful post.
It's so hard for us to imagine the true extent of the suffering that Jesus endured that day. It's much easier to think about it in an abstract, "oh, yeah, that's what Easter is really about" kind of way.
Thanks for making me focus on the cross this morning!
Came from your sister too. But oh so glad I did! It is amazing 6 hours of pain...for my eternity. I love Easter!!
I came over from Stephanie's blog. What a great post, I'll never look at six hours the same again...
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