EASTER: God's Love

As the whip hit his back, he buckled with pain. Blood oozed out of the gashes on his back. As I stood there watching, tears streamed down my face. Why were they hurting him? Wasn't he the one who was healing people? I couldn't even begin to understand the pain, rejection, and anger he was going through at the moment! As I was watching them beat him, he looked up and looked right at me. His eyes were so full of compassion. When he looked at me, all the fear that was within me left. The sense of calmness overpowered the sense of fear.

Suddenly the soldiers grabbed him and shoved a crown of thorns on his head. As his scream of anguish reached my ears, I instantly threw my hands over my ears. I couldn't bear to hear the pain in his voice. After they shoved the crown on his head, they made him stand to his feet. What they did next was more than my heart could bear. Upon the deep gashes on his back, they laid a cross and he had to carry it. As he stumbled down the path, tears streamed down his face. But his tears were down occurring because of the pain he was feeling. His tears were tears of compassion for those who were rejecting him. Suddenly the cross became to heavy to bear and Jesus fell to the ground. A man was commanded to carry the cross for him. While Jesus was staggering along the path, people starting spitting on him and yelling, "Crucify him!" As I stood along the path watching and listening, my heart became heavy. I started screaming and begging people to stop but it was like no one could hear me. Finally we reached the hill where Jesus was to be crucified. The laid him on the cross and began pounding nails into him. For every hit he took, he screamed in pain. As they stood the cross up and he hung there, I fell to the ground and cried out to God! As Jesus hung there, he exclaimed with tears, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do!" As those words hit my sense of hearing, I sat up quickly! Forgive them? After all they did to him, he wanted to forgive them? Suddenly realization hit me. If my Savior can forgive those who severally  hurt him, shouldn't I forgive those those who hurt me? On this Easter weekend, have I forgiven the one who wronged me? Have you? Am I thankful for Christ's death and the obvious love he has for me? Are you thankful for his love for you? Did you know He loved you so much that He died for you? Now that is what I call true love