Mark15:21-41
Matthew 27:32-56
Luke 23:26-49
John 19:17-37
Luke 23:44-46, “It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, ‘Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.’ When He had said this, He breathed His last.”
Imagine seeing a battered and beaten Jesus on His way to die the most dishonorable death. Imagine watching as nails are driven into His hands and feet. Imagine your uncertainty and fear as the sky above you grows ominously dark. Imagine your sorrow as Jesus cries out loudly and draws His last breath. And imagine seeing God rip the curtain that once separated the Most Holy Place from top to bottom — an area so sacred that only the high priest is allowed access once a year. Stop and really picture this scene unfolding because Jesus died to give us an all-access pass to the MOST holy place, the throne room of God! We did nothing to deserve it; He did it out of grace.
Jesus is a way maker. His death unlocked the gates of Heaven for whoever calls Him “Lord.” However, we don’t have to wait until we get there to enter the throne room of God. Every time we pray, seek God’s presence and allow His Word to infiltrate our hearts, we are standing before God.
Jesus did the unimaginable, so we would only have to imagine what it’s like to pay for our sin ourselves. We did nothing to deserve such grace, but His love is far greater. So, no matter our past, if we place our total trust in Him, we can have a personal relationship with Him today and a brilliant future on that day when we see Him face-to-face!
Dear Lord, Thank You for doing the unimaginable and bearing the brunt of my sin so that I may stand before Your throne — covered by your grace. Amen.