“And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, He gave up His spirit.” – Matthew 27:50 NIV

Swept over fresh with shivers and remorse this morning, I read through the account of the crucifixion of my Lord & Master. Visions and images flashing through my mind as I read of what it all must have looked and sounded like, these passages in the four gospels always take the full attention of my mind. It’s not Mel Gibson’s Jesus, it’s not Hollywood actors and expensive camera shots. It’s gritty reality, pain I’ve seen on the faces of people I know when they come to me with the great “WHY?!”‘s of life.
The destruction of families, of lives, deaths of newborns and beloved grandparents that suffered for decades before the sweet release of death came. The tangible pain on a parent’s face when their prodigal child has come home just to wander away again weeks after victory had been celebrated.

All these pains. All these disappointments. All these broken and wounded hearts follow my mind’s eye to Calvary.

And there, with every pounding of the hammer, with every nail through the flesh of my King, with every cry of agony He lets out, their pains, my pains are all solidly and irrevocably placed with Him…no, on Him on that rough, Roman cross.

And for every ‘why’ ever asked of me, and every ‘why’ that I have ever asked is met with its answer and its solution. The answer is sin. Our world is broken, and like a fracture, sometimes thin, sometimes open and crumbling, running around an exquisite piece of ancient pottery, and the effects touch everything. Sin, pride and death right behind them have wreaked havoc in the hearts and lives of billions, and there is only one solution to the pain of billions.

One man. One God-man, Jesus Christ.
For every hurt, sin and sorrow, He bore the punishment.
For every human being who would call Him Lord, He paid the price.
Some will die in their sin. And it breaks my heart.
Others will come to Christ, surrendering their pride to grace, their sin for salvation and the anguishing cries of “WHY?!” are met with a loving embrace and a strong shoulder meant for comfort.

There on the cross that He took up, that He walked with and that He laid down on to be crucified, He bore our sins and He cried out and He gave up His spirit hours later when He knew it had all been completed. He did it purposefully, intentionally and undeniably out of love.

And today, on Good Friday, we remember.
Today, we mourn our sin & thank our Redeemer.
Today of all days we remember why it is so important to GoLove as we have been loved.

May the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.