Good Friday - April 10, 2009
Jesus, the very thought of thee
with sweetness fills the breast;
but sweeter far thy face to see,
and in thy presence rest.
As I continue on my Journey, I am confronted daily with the ugliness of my past. I admit, and many of you who read my blog know, that I still struggle with guilt over the things I’ve done. Frankly, asking and accepting God’s forgiveness has been far easier than asking it of myself. In the beginning I would let myself be bogged down in guilt — there are days when that still happens. But, I have learned that during these times to take my eyes off myself and focus on the face of Christ.
The words of the hymn are true; the face of Jesus is far sweeter than the world I see around me or the ugliness I see within me. Today, on Good Friday, I think about the face of Jesus on the Cross. He was beaten and bruised beyond even being recognizable as a human being and many people who saw him that day turned their faces in horror. That, I think, is a stark picture of where many of us find ourselves at times. We have turned our faces away from the Crucified Christ not because it is grotesque, but because we see the grotesque nature of our sin that placed Him there. Yet, even as we turn away, His eyes are cast upward toward the Father, pleading our case before him.
Just as there were many who were appalled at him—his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness (Isa 52:14)
As we seek the face of Jesus on this day, and every day, we are reminded of His love and kindness. Even looking at those words ‘love’ and ‘kindness’ there seems to be a disconnect from what it is Jesus did for us. Jesus the man willingly underwent horrific cruelty, physical torture and torment for people He loved but didn’t even know. It is in that love that we find redemption. It is His love that “while we were yet sinners” caused him to give up His life.
I’ve learned that it is impossible to truly seek him without finding joy and peace. As I begin to understand Him and know Him in a way that was hidden from me for so long, I can finally know that truth about Him. How I wish that so many people, even some believers, could be unshackled and un-blinded to the true nature of Jesus the man! How I wish they could know how deep and abiding His love for us really is!
O hope of every contrite heart,
O joy of all the meek,
to those who fall, how kind thou art!
How good to those who seek!
There are no words for this day that come close to telling the whole story. I find myself staring at my computer monitor without the ability to say what I feel in my heart. As frustrating as it is to be lacking words to describe what He means to me, I rejoice in the fact that it is because I know Him and because I am one of His beloved that I am rendered speechless. He means more than anything else possibly could.
But what to those who find? Ah, this
nor tongue nor pen can show;
the love of Jesus, what it is,
none but his loved ones know.
Jesus, our only joy be thou,
as thou our prize wilt be;
Jesus, be thou our glory now,
and through eternity.
It’s hard to think about, but it is true that our glory begins at the Cross of Christ. In fact, there is no glory that belongs to us short of being purified by His shed blood. Good Friday reminds us that our prize is not “riches in heaven” or a “mansion over the hilltop”. Our prize is Jesus. Although our lives are spent looking back at the Cross, it is vitally important that we do. Were it not for the pain and shame of the Cross, there would be no Resurrection. Were it not for the Cross, there would be nothing.
How much does Jesus love us? Consider what The Prophet Isaiah tells us:
53:1 Who has believed what he has heard from us? [1]
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
2 For he grew up before him like a young plant,
and like a root out of dry ground;
he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
and no beauty that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected [2] by men;
a man of sorrows, [3] and acquainted with [4] grief; [5]
and as one from whom men hide their faces [6]
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.4 Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
yet he opened not his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
so he opened not his mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away;
and as for his generation, who considered
that he was cut off out of the land of the living,
stricken for the transgression of my people?
9 And they made his grave with the wicked
and with a rich man in his death,
although he had done no violence,
and there was no deceit in his mouth.10 Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him;
he has put him to grief; [7]
when his soul makes [8] an offering for guilt,
he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see [9] and be satisfied;
by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,
make many to be accounted righteous,
and he shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, [10]
and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, [11]
because he poured out his soul to death
and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore the sin of many,
and makes intercession for the transgressors.
“He poured out his soul to death” and he bore our sin. He bore my sin!
Lord,
your son has suffered so much, shed so much blood.
I was born with so many faults
and my nature is so full of weakness,
and yet your son Jesus has died on the cross.
For me.
I know your grace has the power
to cleanse me of my many sins
and to make me more like your Son.
Thank you for your goodness and love for me.
I ask you, Father, to watch over me – always.
janthonywalker