I thought I would share my meditation from my devotions this morning.  My heart is full right now and I want to get it out.

I read in Matthew 27.  Verses 28-31, "And they stripped him...they had plaited a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head...and they...spit upon him, and took the reed and smote him on the head.  And after they had mocked him...and led him away to crucify him."

In looking over those phrases from those verses I was so humbled. 

Christ, the creator, suffered so much pain and shame and yet his grace extended even to his tormentors.  But the men who beat and whipped and mocked him were only the vessels used to deal out the judgement.  Every blow of fist, every stripe from the whip, every harsh word, every drop of spittle they cast at him was for MY sin!  I was his tormentor. 

It was for my sin that he stood and took it all without a murmur of complaint!  The Bible tells us that he suffered all of that for "the joy that was set before him".  What was that joy?  My salvation!  My freedom from the penalty of my sin.  My liberty from sin's power. 

He took joy in his suffering knowing that the end of it would be the salvation of the one responsible for it!  What grace!  What compassion!

He knew that most of his creation would reject this ultimate love offering and yet he did it anyway for the few who would accept it.

What right have I to give into bad attitudes or discontent when the creator of the universe was willing to suffer so much for me that I might be free?!  What right have I to become frustrated when my children disobey when God graciously forbears with me when I go astray?!  What right have I to be offended when my husband or someone else hurts my feelings when Christ suffered so much humiliation on my behalf?!
 

The troubles I have are so transitory.  They are nothing compared to what he suffered.  To give into worry or despair insults the grace of God.

My prayer is that I would 'walk worthy' of Jesus' sacrifice.  That I would remember that he gave all that I might be free.  That every moment of every day would be filled with thankfulness for what he has done, and does, for me!

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