March 11

Scourged, Mocked, Crucified, Forsaken

Today’s Scripture Readings: Psalm 37:30-40 | Numbers 15:17 – 16:40 | Mark 15:1-47 | Proverbs 11:5-6

Today’s Scripture Focus:  Mark 15

“And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?’which means, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’” (Mark 15:33-34 ESV).

The prophecy of Isaiah foretold of a day when the Messiah would be crucified: 

“He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 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” (Isaiah 53, ESV).

He was despised, rejected, stricken, smitten, afflicted, wounded, crushed and chastised. He experienced sorrow, grief, extreme pain and the sense of abandonment and being forsaken by the Father as he bore our sins on the cross.

Why? Because He loved us even while we were sinners.  It was our sin that made the cross necessary: “He was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities.” It was because of the suffering of the cross that we are able to be saved—to experience peace with God and the healing of our souls: “Upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.”

Despite my sin, he loved me enough to die for me. What amazing grace. What amazing love.

As Isaac Watts wrote: “Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all”

Father, thank you for sending your Son to be despised, rejected, stricken, smitten, afflicted, wounded, crushed and crucified. Your grace is truly amazing. Your love truly astounding. Help me to realize ever more deeply all that Jesus did for me. Amen.