Reason #644

I've been reading through the old testament, which is proving to be a little difficult. The thing is, it's packed full of crazy details. Gory instructions on how to perform sacrifices. Details on what sacrifice is necessary for what sin. And it's just a lot to keep track of, if you ask me. There's a specific sacrifice for each sin, and you have to make sure you're giving the right sacrifice in the right way or else it's not accepted. For a girl who nearly faints at the mention of blood, I'd just rather not read this stuff. And if I am being honest, it's not really that interesting or exciting. But obviously it was necessary, and obviously this was the only way the Israelites were going to stay in right standing with the Lord.

I read about these sacrifices as if they are nothing because I can't relate. I've never taken the life of a lamb and poured out it's blood because of my wrong doings so that I could be made right. I can't even imagine such an act. I can't fathom taking a little animal, sweet and fully and completely harmless, and murdering it because I'm a jealous, envious, greedy, hateful, lustful, disobedient, fill in the blank, sinner. To look it in the eye, and then to intentionally end its life because of things I've done. And then, not only that, but to proceed to pour its blood out and burn its body. This would be far too much for me to handle. Because if you ask me, it's not really fair for that little lamb. And the horror of doing such a thing turns my stomach.

This is exactly what we would be doing were it not for Jesus. And I think we read through the Levitical law without even considering the magnitude of what was going on. There was continual blood shed because God's people couldn't get it right and keep it that way. Daily death because of their sins. Something else was having to pay the price for it. And I don't think these little lambs probably went down without a fight. I'm sure they struggled and pulled away, yet it was the end for them even though they didn't bring it on themselves.

Yet this is exactly what Jesus did for us, or shall I say what we did to Jesus. “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter. And as a lamb is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. He was humiliated and received no justice." (Acts 8:32-33). Willingly, He allowed his life to be taken and His blood to be spilled for what we did. For our arrogance, our pride, greed, deception, bad choices, disobedience, our sin, all of it. His blood covered it. Our atonement. And we did absolutely nothing to deserve that, and He did absolutely nothing to deserve death. A death, once and for all, to cover us forever. Because we couldn't get it right, we still can't, but because of His selfless sacrifice we are in right standing with God.

Doesn't this blow your mind? The fact that someone would do that for you? The fact that someone completely innocent would serve your sentence? That they would give up their life so that you could keep yours?

This is amazing grace

This is unfailing love

That you would take my place

That you would bear my cross

You would lay down your life

That I would be set free

Jesus I sing for all you've done for me

 

These words were stuck in my head all day. I found myself humming them over and over, not even minding if anyone could hear. Because sometimes we just need to praise Jesus, regardless of where we are or what we're doing, for all He has done for us.

#644 - Because He laid down His life so that I could be set free.

"Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! 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. All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all. He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearer he did not open his
he did not open his mouth...And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins." - Isaiah 53:4-7&11