HE DIED FOR ME
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
My God, my God, why have you abandoned me? Why are you so far away when I groan for help?…. Everyone who sees me mocks me. They sneer and shake their heads, saying, “Is this the one who relies on the Lord? Then let the Lord save him! If the Lord loves him so much, let the Lord rescue him!”….My life is poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax, melting within me….My enemies surround me like a pack of dogs; an evil gang closes in on me. They have pierced my hands and feet. I can count all my bones. My enemies stare at me and gloat. They divide my garments among themselves and throw dice for my clothing.
Psalms 22:1, 7-8, 14, 16-18 NLT
TODAY’S THOUGHT
Today is Good Friday. We pause to remember the events of this day that were prophesied by King David about 1000 years before Christ came to earth. On this Friday some 2000 years ago Jesus would be tried before Pilate and been found guilty by the Jewish religious leaders. Pilate realizes the Jewish leaders have trumped up charges against Jesus out of jealousy and tries to set Him free. But his hand is forced and Pilate sentences Jesus to be crucified. The Roman guards nail His hands and feet to a wooden cross. Above Jesus’ head is His sentence—“The king of the Jews.” In His six hours on the cross Jesus will ask the Father to forgive those who have tortured him. He will also offer forgiveness to a criminal hanging on the cross next to Him. When Jesus dies the curtain of the Temple will be torn from top to bottom. This curtain was the barrier between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies. The presence of God was in the Holy of Holies and no ordinary man could enter that place. But when Jesus died the curtain was torn open. This let everyone know that because of the blood of Jesus everyone was welcome to enter the presence of Almighty God. All of this was written about over a thousand years before it happened. On the cross Jesus would quote from Psalm 22, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” The entire Psalm is a poetic picture of the crucifixion. God had this day in mind for thousands of years. He knew what it would take for God and man to be reconciled back to each other. Today we pause to give thanks for the atoning death of our Lord Jesus. We say thank you because through that death we have access to the presence of God. God wants us to enjoy and live in His presence.
TODAY’S PRAYER
Thank You, Lord Jesus for dying for me. Thank you for opening up a way for me to have access into the presence of God. Help me today to live with an understanding of Your presence in my life.
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