As I read Matthew 27 this morning, which chronicles the day Jesus died, it didn’t feel like Good Friday. I grappled with what Jesus went through. I tried to imagine how it would feel to be beaten, ridiculed, laughed at, spit on, and mocked. Then, though impossible, I cringed as I imagined someone hammering nails in my hands, then my feet, then hanging me up to die a slow death all while being insulted.

Here is the link to the scripture if you would like to read it… http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2027&version=NIV

Jesus went through unimaginable pain, sorrow and ridicule for us. He died an excruciating death for us. He died for my sins, your sins, the sins of the entire world.

If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, marinate in that thought today. If you are not a follower, or maybe you have just pulled away for a period of time, or maybe you are mad at the church, or maybe you look at Christians as hypocritcal…maybe today is a great day to just pray. To think about how Jesus died…so that you and I can live.

This could be one of the most important days of your life…

Father, it’s hard to even fathom how you could send your son Jesus to die in this way. It can only be because your love for us exceeds anything we can possibly imagine. As we work today, in all of our busyness, help us to reflect on the meaning and purpose of this day over 2,000 years ago. Amen