Devotional Guide—April 18

Thursday, April 18, 2019

Praise:  Our Response to
God’s Generosity and Grace

“He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with his stripes 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 53:5-6

Years ago, I talked to a professor at Western Kentucky University about Easter. As I tried to explain this and other verses to her, I told her that when Christ was on that cruel cross, it was my sin that drove the nails, my sin that bruised him. I was bad, and Jesus got the beating! She covered her ears with her hands and cried, “No! No! I don’t want to know that!”

Well, whether or not we want to know, it is the truth. We go our own ways, sin without thought, hurt ourselves and others, ignore God, and our loving God lays not that blame on us but on Christ. We do naughty things, and Jesus took the beating!

Through love for the unlovely, Christ bore the brunt of our wrongdoings – our sin – so that by grace we could be spared the horror of that death. How can we ever thank him?!

Prayer: Father, we don’t want to admit that we crucified the Lord. We blame the Romans, the Pharisees, or the mob. But honesty requires us to admit the truth. We sing, “What wondrous love is this… that caused the Lord of bliss to bear that cruel curse for my soul.” We don’t understand, but we praise you that you allowed it, and we sing out, “Grace, grace, marvelous grace! Grace that can pardon and cleanse within!” Amen.

“I am the resurrection and the life.” John 11:25
Lenten Devotional Guide
prepared for Homosassa United Methodist Church, Spring 2009
by Patience Nave, Christian Education Director