Current mood:	thankful
Current music:	"Spartan" - Five Iron Frenzy

A Passionate thought
I saw The Passion of the Christ tonight with a few people from my church. I came in with a few expectations, mostly that it would follow the same story I've held onto for my life, and that it would be pretty violent. Those expectations held true, and yet... and yet, visually seeing a story that I've just imagined all of my life really brought about a new perspective. Maybe not new but fresh.

#1 - MY SINS did this. Because I lied to my parents; fooled around; lost my temper; stabbed my friends in the back; thought nasty thoughts about someone; lusted in my heart; etc etc. The list goes on. Every lash of every whip was another one of my sins being poured out onto Jesus' flesh. Every thought, every action, every inaction. It was my sins that separated me from my Savior, my Lord, my God. However,

#2 - Jesus WILLINGLY took on these sins and made my curse His own. "Yet it was the LORD'S will to crush Him and cause Him to suffer..." (Isaiah 53:10) It pleased Him to take on the wrath of God in my place. And I have to stop myself and say... "WHAT?! WHY?" Because He loved me SO MUCH that He bore the burden of my sins. His body, torn and broken. The wrath of God was poured out on Jesus, the Christ, so that I nor anyone else would have to bear His HOLY and JUST wrath. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9, emp. mine) Again, I say "WHAT?!" God now considers it JUSTICE to forgive us of our sins if we ask. Because Jesus took our place. That should have been me on the cross. HE did nothing wrong. And yet...

#3 - I still sin. I have been captivated by its apparent beauty. But next to the cross, sin is ugly. Disgusting. Vomitous. After seeing how Jesus suffered for me, because of me, I see that I take sin too lightly. MUCH too lightly. To be held captive by that sin is to decrease in my eyes the sacrifice Jesus made for me. I think about all the things I do wrong and the sins that are prevalent in my life, I become guilt-stricken. Then I get depressed. How God must despise me, after what I did to Jesus and I KEEP doing it! And yet, there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1), so I am also freed from the burden of that sin - I just have to turn away; the price has been paid! Jesus bore the wrath for those sins through the scourging and crucifixion, all the while, asking God to forgive those who were destroying His body! Oh Lord, that you would soften my heart! My Adonai, my Abba!

He said, "Love endures all things."
And it hurts to think it's true.
Did it nail Him to the cross?
Did it crucify Him too?

He loves me that much. He loves YOU that much. He, who was without sin, took on the sins of the world so that we may no longer bear the condemnation that we deserve for our sins. He loves us! He loves me! Me, the scum of the earth.

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!"

Philippians 4:4


In light of this, what is your response to Jesus? Just ignore Him? Or go to Him, in humble adoration and awe? Just don't ignore it.