W
The Cross Was A Choice
He didn’t have to do it. Whatever you read or listen to or think about on this Good Friday pertaining to the cross of our Lord, keep this in the forefront of your mind - He didn’t have to do it. As you enter into this day and your heart scrambles to deal with the emotions of remembering those awful hours of pain and darkness, make sure you remember this one outrageous fact - the cross was not a given. It was not inevitable. He could have said no and yet, He said yes.
I’m not saying there was any other way for us to be saved. The cross was our only hope. The Son of God paying for our wrong was the only way we could be forgiven. It was the only plan that could or would work, but it was not forced upon Him. It was not fate. It was not the cleverness of His enemies. It was not a trap. His hand was not forced. He could have stopped the motion of those dreadful wheels at any point and He didn’t, which means the cross was His choice.
He chose to go. He decided to endure the pain. He allowed Himself to be humiliated. He intended for this to happen. I guess you could say He wanted it. Yes, He did ask for this cup to pass from Him. He did ask the Father for another way, but when no other way could be found, He chose it, which means that however badly He did not want this, there was something in doing it that He wanted more. As F.B. Meyer said, “Whilst there was much that cried, “Back!” there was more that cried, “On!”
As you go through this Good Friday, remember Him and the cross He chose. Remember that He willingly endured everything for the joy set before Him. What could that joy be, if not His love for you? It was love. He didn’t have to do it, but He loved you and me. Every believer in Jesus can rightly say along with the Apostle Paul, “He loved me and gave Himself for me.” - Galatians 2:20
He didn’t have to do it. Whatever you read or listen to or think about on this Good Friday pertaining to the cross of our Lord, keep this in the forefront of your mind - He didn’t have to do it. As you enter into this day and your heart scrambles to deal with the emotions of remembering those awful hours of pain and darkness, make sure you remember this one outrageous fact - the cross was not a given. It was not inevitable. He could have said no and yet, He said yes.
I’m not saying there was any other way for us to be saved. The cross was our only hope. The Son of God paying for our wrong was the only way we could be forgiven. It was the only plan that could or would work, but it was not forced upon Him. It was not fate. It was not the cleverness of His enemies. It was not a trap. His hand was not forced. He could have stopped the motion of those dreadful wheels at any point and He didn’t, which means the cross was His choice.
He chose to go. He decided to endure the pain. He allowed Himself to be humiliated. He intended for this to happen. I guess you could say He wanted it. Yes, He did ask for this cup to pass from Him. He did ask the Father for another way, but when no other way could be found, He chose it, which means that however badly He did not want this, there was something in doing it that He wanted more. As F.B. Meyer said, “Whilst there was much that cried, “Back!” there was more that cried, “On!”
As you go through this Good Friday, remember Him and the cross He chose. Remember that He willingly endured everything for the joy set before Him. What could that joy be, if not His love for you? It was love. He didn’t have to do it, but He loved you and me. Every believer in Jesus can rightly say along with the Apostle Paul, “He loved me and gave Himself for me.” - Galatians 2:20
