The Cross

From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).

When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.”

Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. 49 The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”

And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.

Matthew 27:45-50

Are you moved by Jesus on the cross?

Can I be honest? Sometimes I’m not.
Maybe it’s that I’ve heard it so many times.
Maybe it’s that I’m tired.
Maybe it’s that my heart is a bit crusty on the outside because of sin.

There’s a famous poem by Christina Rossetti called, “Good Friday” that captures this very concept,

Am I a stone and not a sheep
That I can stand, O Christ, beneath thy cross,
To number drop by drop Thy blood’s slow loss,
And yet not weep?

Not so those women loved
Who with exceeding grief lamented thee;
Not so fallen Peter weeping bitterly;
Not so the thief was moved;

Not so the sun and moon
Which hid their faces in a starless sky,
A horror of great darkness at broad noon—
I, only I.
One thing I’m certain of.
I should be moved by Jesus on the cross.
I should be absolutely wrecked by the cross.

Because at the cross, the Son of God dies at the hands of humans He created.
The Supreme Being of the universe volunteers Himself to be flogged, humiliated, falsely accused and murdered.
He is cut off from the Father’s love.
For us.
For me.

That brings me to a thought.
To not grasp the depths of the cross.
Is to miss out on seeing the depths of God’s love for me.

So my prayer today is that I would be wrecked by the cross.
So that my eyes would be open to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.
What about you?

For Today:

• Does remembering Jesus on the cross move you?
• Do you see the depths of Christ’s love?
• What do you need to pray for today?

Pray: Praise the Father that He so loved the world that He gave His only Son. Give thanks for Jesus Christ who suffered for the sake of the people He loved. Ask God for His Holy Spirit to change your heart so that you might know the depths of His love.