The Look

For the past several days a song has been playing over and over in my mind. Actually for some time this particular song has moved me to tears several times. I've been wanting to share it, but before I do I must (it may even be a legal thing) tell you all that you can purchase this song - as well as many, many others that are just as powerful, form Sovereign Grace Ministries: http://www.sovereigngraceministries.org/music/ This particular song was originally written by John Newton, and it's released form can be found on the CD's, Upward and Songs for the Cross Centered Life which can be found at the link above. verse 1 I saw one hanging on a tree In agony and blood Who fixed His loving eyes on me As near His cross I stood And never till my dying breath Will I forget that look It seemed to charge me with His death Though not a word He spoke verse 2 My conscience felt and owned the guilt And plunged me in dispair I saw my sins His blood had spilt And helped to nail Him there. But with a second look He said "I freely all forgive This blood is your ransom paid I died that you might live." Chorus Forever etched upon my mind Is the look of Him who died The Lamb I crucified And now my life will sing the praise Of pure atoning grace That looked on me and gladly took my place verse 3 Thus while His death my sin displays For all the world to view Such is the mystery of grace It seels my pardon too With pleasing grief and mournful joy My spirit now is filled That I should such a life destroy Yet live by Him I killed A sermon I once heard also spoke about this subject, and it still impacts me today. When remembering the crucifixion it is important to think of this. Listen to the crowds. Do you hear your voice in the crowd? And by that I don't mean trying to fight for Jesus' release - I mean do you hear yourself crying out "crucify him!"? I once told everyone that if I was there I would have gone against the crowds, but then the Holy Spirit gently showed me how true the words above in the song were true. I am more like those people that welcomed Jesus triumphantly one day, only to turn on Him and yell for His death the next. Before we can ever fully appreciate and enjoy what Christ accomplished for us on the cross, we must own up that it was ME that put Him there. Notice I did not say 'we'. Although Christ's sacrifice is for the 'us'. It was I who have/am/will again sin against God. It was I who spit on Him and fled. I deserted Him. I have been really blessed (but at the same time struggle to get through) by a fellow bloggers post about her journey with Christ. Her words are so powerful in my heart and mind. Although her narative is from her perspective I very easily see myself in the role she portrays. What a powerful thing is Christ's mercy. How can one not fall to their knees when one takes the time to meditate upon these truths. What a joyous thing to remember that Christ reached out to us when we were doing those very things as yelling "crucify Him!". He goes to that cross and dies though He could have escaped it if He wanted to - but to do so would not fulfill what needed to be done. And then when He says "it is finished" - oh what powerful words! He does not remain on that cross in pain and suffering. Now, so as to not minimize what He accomplished, I want to state here. We cannot fully comprehend the depths of his suffering. We cannot compare. His suffering was not just the physical pain - which is beyond my ability as it is - but it was a spiritual pain. Christ was made to be sin! His Father could no longer bear to be in His presence - not until the penalty was paid in full. But once it is finished Christ dies. Is lain in the tomb, and then rises again! He defeats sin and death, and in this victory it shows us the joy of forgiveness. To get past the pain and suffering is to know the grace and mercy and peace and joy of the Lord. No more pain, no more suffering. Christ sits at the right hand of the Father to intercede for us! This world is but a way station to that promise. We still feel pain, and the Earth groans under the onslaught of sin, but there will come a day when the new Earth's foundation. Well, this blog got 'interupted' by a phone call and my train of thought has derailed..... I guess what I am trying to say is that there is a time to meditate upon why Christ was on the cross, that I was an active participant in that, and that it was all of His mercy and not my seeking Him, but in His seeking me. My tears when hearing sons like this are a summation of my sorrow for my sin, and also for the joyful anticipation of all that was accomplished and do not deserve. I hope this blog was helpful... Verse for today: Matthew 27:15-23, 45-54 esv Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.” Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” And he said, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!” Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” And some of the bystanders, hearing it, said, “This man is calling Elijah.” And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine, and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink. But the others said, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.” And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”