Reason #79
Today is Palm Sunday. Thousands of years ago, today, Jesus rode into Jerusalem. The king. The Messiah. The people welcomed him. Hosanna! And in less than a week, He was hung on a cross. An innocent man. The sacrifice. And today, my mind has been on grace. His grace.
That week, He stood in my place. That Friday, He stood where I should have stood. I put Him there. My sins caused this. I created this mess. But He chose to stand there. For me. Knowing full well of every sin I would commit, He took my punishment. Grace at its finest. I deserved it, but rather than giving me what I deserved, He willing took it. And it was my fault.
I lied - the whip cracked.
I envied, coveted - His skin was broken, ripped to pieces.
I disobeyed - His blood seeped from the open gashes and fell to the ground.
I fed my flesh - a crown of thorns was forced on to His head.
I blended into the world - the nails were driven through His hands, His feet.
And it should have been me. My weak back should have received the blows from the whip. My pale, fair skin should have been ripped and broken. I should have been beaten beyond recognition. My blood should have been dripping to the ground. Nails should have been driven through my hands and feet for what I've done, for what I continue to do. And each time I do it, each time I did it, the whip cracked again. My sin was the driving force behind that hammer. And I justified it. I am the one who deserves a slow and excruciatingly painful death. I am the one who should face the shame and humiliation for what I've done.
But grace stepped in. And my heart breaks for the mess I made. For the pain I caused Him. For the pain I still cause Him. But in the sadness, there is overwhelming joy. Victory! Never before have I been so enthralled by a murder scene. For that broken, ripped skin gives me hope. That blood that sustained His life was poured out to save my life. Oh, He is the Sustainer! And He did this for me because He deemed me worthy. A girl who could offer Him nothing, He counted worth the pain. A weak being bound to stumble again and again, worth the humiliation. He thinks I'm worth it. I'm hardly worth it. So undeserving.
But He hung there, and He covered me with grace. Grace that is greater than all my sin.
#79 - Because endured it all for me.
"But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed." -Isaiah 53:5
That week, He stood in my place. That Friday, He stood where I should have stood. I put Him there. My sins caused this. I created this mess. But He chose to stand there. For me. Knowing full well of every sin I would commit, He took my punishment. Grace at its finest. I deserved it, but rather than giving me what I deserved, He willing took it. And it was my fault.
I lied - the whip cracked.
I envied, coveted - His skin was broken, ripped to pieces.
I disobeyed - His blood seeped from the open gashes and fell to the ground.
I fed my flesh - a crown of thorns was forced on to His head.
I blended into the world - the nails were driven through His hands, His feet.
And it should have been me. My weak back should have received the blows from the whip. My pale, fair skin should have been ripped and broken. I should have been beaten beyond recognition. My blood should have been dripping to the ground. Nails should have been driven through my hands and feet for what I've done, for what I continue to do. And each time I do it, each time I did it, the whip cracked again. My sin was the driving force behind that hammer. And I justified it. I am the one who deserves a slow and excruciatingly painful death. I am the one who should face the shame and humiliation for what I've done.
But grace stepped in. And my heart breaks for the mess I made. For the pain I caused Him. For the pain I still cause Him. But in the sadness, there is overwhelming joy. Victory! Never before have I been so enthralled by a murder scene. For that broken, ripped skin gives me hope. That blood that sustained His life was poured out to save my life. Oh, He is the Sustainer! And He did this for me because He deemed me worthy. A girl who could offer Him nothing, He counted worth the pain. A weak being bound to stumble again and again, worth the humiliation. He thinks I'm worth it. I'm hardly worth it. So undeserving.
But He hung there, and He covered me with grace. Grace that is greater than all my sin.
#79 - Because endured it all for me.
"But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed." -Isaiah 53:5