Do you see Jesus, as God's only begotten Son or do you see a man who walked and talked with His disciples? Most of us cannot look at a cross without seeing the blood, the nail pierced hands and the crown of thorns.
Often times, we forget that for 33 years, Jesus felt everything that you and I feel. He felt weary. He felt betrayed. He was talked about. Gossiped about. And He got hungry. He sweated. He yawned. He got the hiccups and He felt alone.
Isn't it difficult to think of Jesus like this?
Somehow, we feel uncomfortable remembering Jesus, the man. Thinking about the humanity side of Jesus almost seems irreverent, this is why when we think of the cross, we never picture Him walking, talking, hurting, or sleeping. We only remember Him bleeding, dying and resurrecting.
As thankful as I am for the blood, I never want to forget that Jesus also experienced what you and I experience. Before He could give His life for us, He had to live. Too often, we want to keep Him crucified on the cross instead of allowing Him to walk with us in the trials of our world. We forget that He has already walked where we are walking. He has endured pain before we even knew of pain. He had to deal with defiance, jealousy and betrayal just like we do.
Yes, the cross represents His love and forgiveness for us, not just in His death but also in His life. Remembering the hard times that He endured will make it easier for us to invite Him in the muck and mire of our daily lives...it is there, that He will reach down and pull us out.
PRAYER: Dear Lord, thank you for the Cross! May I never forget the sacrifice, not just the crucifixion but may I never forget what preceded and what followed. Your life, Your death, Your resurrection. Because You live...I can live. Thank you Lord, help me to never take Your sacrifice for granted. AMEN
"And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, event the death of the cross." Philippians 2:8 NKJV
Precious.
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