Can You Imagine?

Imagine being stripped of your clothing, beaten, mocked, dragged through the streets for all to see. Not only are strangers looking at you, but your closest friends and family are witnessing this spectacle. You're kicked. You're spit on. Your name is said in a mocking tone and with peals of laughter. Everything being done to you is because of false accusations and not because you have committed any wrongdoing.

At the height of this punishment and humiliation you see a police officer arrive on the scene. You know he has the authority and the power to stop what is happening. Just as he is about to start defending you, you stop him. Not only do you stop him, but you come to the defense of those attacking you. You cry out to the enforcer of justice begging him to forgive them! You explain they are ignorant of their actions and plead for mercy on them.

This is exactly what Jesus did when He died for us. He still does it today. The God who judges could easily strike us for all the offense we commit in our lives, but because of Jesus' pleas for us, we receive mercy. When we should have been the ones living out the above scenario, Jesus took it all upon himself and calls us blameless. (Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,~Jude 24).

Accepting Christ is not simply about getting out of hell. It's about realizing Jesus died to take the punishment for us. Tonight I have been meditating on the magnitude of what this means. In my human mind, much of it is beyond my comprehension. Why would anyone be willing to do this for me? And when I think of the fact that Jesus did it without hesitation, I am speechless. How could I not want to live my life fully and completely for Him? If it means sacrificing the "security" of a corporate job, it's worth it. If it means having family and friends who don't really understand me anymore, it's worth it. If it means often feeling like I'm alone or possibly crazy for the choices I make, then it's worth it.

How can I tell Him that He's not worth it when He paid the ultimate price to let me know how much He thought I was worth it?

"We love Him because He first loved us." 1 John 4:19

Where are you in your love affair with Jesus? Is your relationship with Him just something to do on Sunday mornings? Is church more of a social club than a house of reverence and a place to welcome in the presence of the Holy Spirit? When was the last time you told Him how much you love Him? I know our lives can become so busy we forget to take the time to be intimate with Him. Think about how you would feel if you were the one being humiliated in public when you were blameless. Would you be willing to die in the place of those who were committing the real crime? Jesus did that for you. What are you willing to do for Him?