It Wasn't The Nails

Have you ever stopped to think about what held the Savior to the tree. He who with his Father created the universe and all that is in it, wasn't held there by the nails in his hands and feet. Also he could have called 10,000 angels who were waiting to rescue him. It had to be love. Total, unfathomable love for us. You and I, whose righteousness is as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6), should have been crucified. We should have suffered and died, as Gorden Jensen so beautifully puts it in one song he wrote and sings. Oh the width, and length and depth and height of God's (Elohim in the Hebrew) love for us (Ephesians 3:17-20).

IT WASN'T THE NAILS

It wasn't the nails,

That held you to the tree,

The angels we ready,

Wanted to rescue you,

You didn't have to die,

As a sinless sacrifice,

For our sin,

You didn't have to come,

Live among sinners,

Heal the sick,

Set people free,

Teach the truth,

Proclaim the kingdom,

Endure ridicule,

Temptation,

So why did you come?

If it wasn't the nails?

What held you there?

Why did you suffer?

Willingly endure torture?

Separation from the Father?

Carry our sin's weight?

To our human minds,

It's beyond understanding,

It could only be love,

Your total love for us.

All That You Are

Awesome is a good word to describe it. As I ponder the almost unbelievable reality of the heavenly Father's love that he would send his only begotten Son to die for our sins, I am filled with reverence and gratefulness. And that the Son of God (Elohim in the Hebrew) in trusting obedience to his Father and love for us, would agree to humble himself and became a human and live for 33 years among sinners who often treated him like dirt and then crucified him is even more awesome.

Yes, our Savior was beaten and mocked. He even shed blood over the agony of what he was facing. But that's not the worst of it. He carried the weight of the whole world's sins on his shoulders. I can't even carry the weight of my own sins. He also knew separation
from his Father for the first time. Oh the width, and length and depth and height of the Father and Son's love for us (Ephesians 3:14-21).

ALL THAT YOU ARE

Heavenly Father,

Precious Savior,

Your offer is irresistible,

All that you are,

For all that I'm not,

Your righteous desires,

For my sinful ones,

Your Spirit's fruit,

For my fleshly works,

Your strength,

For my weakness,

Your wisdom,

For my stinking thinking,

Your healing,

For my wounds,

Your deliverance,

For my bondages,

Your wholeness,

For my brokenness,

Your fellowship,

For my loneliness,

And oh so much more,

Prove your love for me.