Wood and Blood

My image of the cross is so skewed from the truth.  I view and empty cross, beautiful, clean and shiny.  Glittering the dew of the morning.  Which in of itself is truth since Jesus rose again to defeat death.  That from the cross(death) comes life!  But I forget the price paid for me.  I overlook the blood run out like a river, the tears streaming down Christ's checks making mud below in the dirt and rocks, the mocking and yelling from on lookers, everything that the God-man, God IN THE FLESH, did out of love for me.  He experienced full separation from his Father, this must have killed him.  Even beyond the physical torture that none of us can identify with, even the slightest bit, the complete and utter separation must have ended his life.

I am reminded of John 15:13 and brought to sweet tears of true love.  "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."  He isn't talking about a cream puff idea of how to live a better life as a "good person."  He is talking about an intense love affair bigger and better, more satisfying and meaningful than anything we could ever know on earth.

So as we approach Easter (only 2 days away!) I invite you all to celebrate in the work Jesus did on the cross.  When I think of the cross I hear the invitation expelled from my savior's lips from a bloodied and broken body strung on wood whispering how much he loves me and find me worthy and beautiful.  Looking me in the eye and I realize my own worth, not out of anything I did or can do, but in the price payed by God in the flesh who calls me friend!  What some people in the world might call gross, dirty, and horrible is the greatest most beautiful act of love this world has every, and will ever see.  And I remember through the bloodied mess of flesh torn apart, is NEW LIFE!  

So friends, let's celebrate because Jesus made us NEW!