by Deborah Thomas

How could Jesus bear

the betrayal of a strident patriot seeking a messiah despot,

the arrest at night, secure in numbers, dragging him to the high priest,

the questioning from men drunk on power, driven by fear of a greater power,

the adjudicating of Caiaphas, Herod and Pilate, curious but ignorant of the riches in their hands, too full of self pride to see it,

the  postulating of Pilate to make an offer of life not his to give,

the stripping of His robe, the stabbing of the thorns, the blows from fists He could not see,

the tearing of His flesh with hooks flailing His blood into the air,

the staggering climb to Golgatha, lined with gawkers or sympathizers, neither willing or else able to help,

the nailing hammer blows to hands and feet, enough to wish for unconsciousness,

the fastening of His body to a common cross, weighted by the gravity he created,

the mocking of the son of man, son of God,

the silence of his Heavenly Father, to sacrifice His only son, for the payment of our sins,

on that day.

Such love and mercy given.

This our greatest gift of life.

John 3: 15-18 The Message

…[for]it is necessary for the Son of Man to be lifted up—and everyone who looks up to him, trusting and expectant, will gain a real life, eternal life.

^16-18 “This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life.

God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted;

anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it.  And why?

Because of that person’s failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.

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A Prayer for you

May the Lord bless your Holy week.

May you find respite in the confession and forgiveness of your sins,

and rejoice in eternal life through His son Jesus.

May you enjoy His company, love Him deeply, thank Him always,

and from His storehouses, be given helpful goodnesses.