"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this:
While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
Romans 5:8
I
have just completed a Life of Christ in the Gospels class and had to
submit a final paper covering the physical death of Jesus. The article I
had to read was written by physicians and theologians describing the
physiological affects the flogging and the crucifixion itself had on
Jesus, both mentally and physically. It was a graphic and emotionally
charged document.
I am normally a visual person and so, for me, the movie Passion of the Christ
was a very realistic picture of what Jesus endured. But reading the
description from a medical point of view had a much greater impact on
me.
I am humbled by His love . . .
This
was one of the most difficult papers I have ever had to write. I tried
to keep myself to the clinical aspects of the physical death of Jesus;
but I cannot keep from weeping when I realize He went through all of
this for me. I am afraid that often we, as Christians, have become jaded
and complacent in our thinking; far too often we have “sanitized” the
death of Jesus to make it more palatable. It is just too hard to think
of the details of His death, so let’s just be content with the fact that
He died in our place. But when one stops to take the time to reflect
on the details, the actuality of the deed itself, it becomes
overwhelming. And yet, Jesus Christ willingly gave Himself over to pain,
anguish and suffering.
One of the
requirements of the paper was to look at the offensiveness of the cross.
But, when I look at the cross I don’t see it as offensive; I see
beauty. The beauty of a love I cannot begin to understand or return. Instead of the offensiveness of sin, I see the beauty of
Redemption, the Love of a Father to a child . . . the Mercy and Grace of
an awesome God.
And I am humbled by His love . . .
'Lena Ehlert
©Whispers in Worship
