How Can it Be, Jesus, that You Did This for Us?

This picture makes me cry.

I have seen myself in that place so many times, and have needed the strong arms of my Savior to hold me up.  I have felt my own spiritual knees buckle at times, and have felt the weight of my sins.  I have sagged under the enormity of a problem, and cried out so desperately for Someone to carry them for me.

He has.  He is.  He always will.  I deserved the consequences of my actions.  He didn't.  He took mine.  Amazing love.  When I look at this picture, I see those nailed scarred Hands holding up that man, and I see "me" there, too.

The mallet in that man's hand is what we all did to Christ Jesus.  We crucified Him.  He took it.  Amazing love.  I will never be able to understand in this unilluminated mind of mine the kind of love that flowed through Him to me, to us.  I want to, though, because I so want to love that way, don't you?

I want to truly walk in forgiveness and not remember the hurt or the wounds of others.  I don't want what I have done to others to be a scar in them, either. 

I love the song....."Amazing Love"....."I'm forgiven, because He was forsaken, I'm accepted, He was condemned.  I'm alive and well, His Spirit is within me, because He died and rose again.  Amazing love, how can it be, that you my King would die for me?"

He did.  My King died for this wretch of humanity and gave me a throne.  How can it be?

My King, stripped Himself of all rightful dignity, and took upon Himself my sinful flesh.  How can it be?  My King came to this earth, was born of a virgin, received a body that was made to be crucified.  And He did it knowing that the condition of my spirit was dead to him, my soul in enmity toward Him, and that I might not EVER accept His sacrifice.  He did it anyway.  Amazing love.

Merry CHRISTmas!!!