The Suffering of Christ

If you have never visualized what Jesus actually did for us on the cross, here is a great picture of it. Let each word absorb into your heart as you think of the price He paid to redeem you. "Think of His lacerated back. Thirty nine lashes left little flesh intact. He heaves with His breath up and down against the rough vertical beam of the cross. Each breath puts splinters into the lacerations. The Lord gasps. From time to time He screams out with intolerable pain. He tries to pull away from the wood and the massive spokes through His wrists rip into the nerve endings and He screams again with agony and pushes up with his feet to give some relief to His wrists. But the bones and nerves in His pierced feet crush against each other with anguish and He screams again. There is no relief. His throat is raw from screaming and thirst. He loses His breath and thinks He is suffocating and suddenly His body involuntarily gasps for air and all the injuries unite in pain. In torment, He forgets about the crown of two inch thorns and throws His head back in desperation, only to hit one of the thorns perpendicular against the cross beam and drive it half an inch into His skull. His voice reaches a soprano pitch of pain and sobs break over His pain wracked body as every cry brings more and more pain." (excerpt from "Pierced by the Word" by John Piper.) And now think of the words He spoke. "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." This is real. This is what He went through for you and me. The Bible says He didn't even look human. But yet so few of us actually gives our life completely to Him. We use Him to get blessings. We use Him to help us get what we want. But that is not what the cross was all about. He suffered so you and I could have a relationship with Him. So we could know Him. So we could walk with Him. So we could talk with Him. We were created for this. To worship and glorify Him. Anything He does for us after the cross is pure grace. Gosh He is so good. Do you really realize how much He loves you? If you haven't thanked Him in a while, get on you knees and give Him all the glory and honor and thanks that He alone deserves. And don't forget to thank Him for what He did on the cross for you and me. Amazing Love, how can it be that you my King should die for me.