Good Friday Devotional...Jesus Sacrificed

But God demonstrates
His own love for us in this:

While we were still sinners,
Christ died for us.

Romans 5:8

This is mind blowing to consider on Good Friday of 2013. It is not a new concept, but I had never read this this scripture until the mid-1990s.

From the time I was a preschooler my mother had told me it was because Jesus had come to live as a human here with us that I would be accepted as a resident of paradise when my time on earth was done. I knew this, but I did not understand completely the miracle that this really was.

Now I understand that it was because God does not anyone to perish.

NOONE!

Here are some of the things that Jesus did by submitting to the atrocious abuse and ghastly crucifixion that He endured.

This means…

• …that, in spite of the underbelly that each of us is aware exists in us, Jesus died for us.

• …that Jesus spent thirty-three years on earth experiencing joy, suffering, pain, and love in his human form.

• …that He/God knows what it is like to be a human with all the blessings and challenges that humans had He is not a God who does not have first-hand experience of human life.

• …that He still has compassion for our shortcomings and even our sin, and He works in our lives to lead and guide us at all times. He helps to avoid the temptations that we have.

• …that amazing is the concept of Romans 5:8 which tells us that He worked for our salvation taking on all our sins when we were unborn and when He knew what our shortcomings would be.

• …that His love for His children is never ending.

I am feeling total wonder as I consider these things that I have known since I was a small child. It is not a wonder of disbelief. It is a wonder of amazement at the kindness and blessings of God

God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us,
that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

2 Corinthians 5:21

Holy God,

Help us to spend Good Friday meditating with appreciation and joy for what was done for us this day and acknowledging the wonder that happened so that we could come home one day. From today through Resurrection Sunday may our thoughts be mind blowing anticipation and appreciation for what God has done. so that we never forget and proclaim that....

HE IS RISEN!

Amen

Written by

Corinne Mustafa