“Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.” (John 10:17, 18 KJV)

The crucifixion of Jesus is the most cruel and heartbreaking thing that has ever happened. Our precious Saviour was cursed, spat upon, beaten beyond recognition, rejected and mocked. They put a crown of thorns on His head and took His clothes off of Him. They gave Him vinegar to drink mingled with gall.

We talk about His crucifixion but I don’t think we really have grasped in our hearts that they really did all of these horrible things to Him. If we would finally grasp in our hearts, not just in our heads, that this really happened, we wouldn’t say cruel words to anyone nor do something mean to someone because Jesus died for every person.

I don’t think about Jesus dying for me too often because my heart breaks and I can’t stop crying. Just think, He could have come down from the cross if He had wanted to. All the nails and all the soldiers in the world could not have kept Him on the cross had He chosen to come down.

Our dear precious Saviour endured that all of that excruciating pain and He died willingly for you and for me. I believe for every nail that was pounded in His hands, He felt the agony and pain of the nails in His heart. I also believe that He did not die from the physical pain. I believe that He died of a broken heart.

What kind of love is this that would keep Him on the cross when He could have come down? It is an unselfish, giving and unconditional love. The Christ of Calvary has a compassionate and tender loving heart. He loves as much today as He did yesterday and He will love us as much tomorrow as He does today. His love is unending. He will love us for all eternity. Not only does He give love, He is love!

After all He has done for us, how dare you and I not die to our own selfish pleasures and serve Him with all of our time, all of our talents and with everything we have. How it must break His heart when we watch television hour after hour when the people He died for are lost in their sins and on their way to hell for all eternity. Are you willing to die to yourself and serve the One who gave His life’s blood for you?

Joanne Lowe

April 1, 2010
joannelowe8@cox.net
www.joanne-ourprecioussaviour.blogspot.com