These are harrowing words, cried out in anguish from a son to his Father. Never had he known anything but love from his Father. He had never experienced anything but sweet harmony. Now, with the sky darkened at midday, Jesus cried out in anguish. He felt completely abandoned by the Father, the one he loved and the one who love him. Why? Isaiah answers that question.

Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

isaiah 53:4-6

On the cross, he was smitten by God so that we might live, forsaken by God that we might be accepted, suspended in utter darkness that we might live in radiant light. His wounds led to our healing. Our sins were this costly.

Tim Keller writes:

Christianity is the only religious faith that says that God himself actually suffered, actually cried out in suffering. Now what good is that? To Jesus’s followers assembled around the cross, it certainly seemed senseless: that there was no good in it at all. But in fact, they came to realize that Jesus’s suffering was of immense good to them, as can we. Why? Because they would eventually see that they had been looking right at the greatest act of God’s love, power, and justice in history. God came into the world and suffered and died on the cross in order to save us. It is the ultimate proof of his love for us.

The King’s cross, Tim Keller

The cross was the great exchange: our sin for God’s righteousness, Jesus’ rejection for our acceptance, Jesus’ disgrace for our grace, Jesus’ suffering for our healing.

Take a few moments today to thank Him. Let your heart overflow in love to one whose heart was pierced in love for you.

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