The Cross, where Jesus took His last breath and where His earthly life was finally spent, is forever and always a symbol of His sacrificial yet redemptive love for all mankind.
This week, in the lead up to Good Friday, I was reminded of an old hymn written by Robert Lowry in 1876. I took some time to reflect on the lyrics, and I invite you to do the same now –
Nothing but the Blood of Jesus
What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Refrain:
Oh! precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
For my pardon, this I see,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
For my cleansing this my plea,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Nothing can for sin atone,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
Naught of good that I have done,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
This is all my hope and peace,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
This is all my righteousness,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Now by this I’ll overcome—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
Now by this I’ll reach my home—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Glory! Glory! This I sing—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus,
All my praise for this I bring—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
These lyrics give us but a glimpse into what Jesus chose to accomplish on the Cross.
Even now, more than 34 years after first deciding to follow Jesus, I find myself still trying to comprehend what took place on both a physical and a spiritual level that day.
Dr Derek Prince referred to it as a “divine exchange”, and used these examples to explain it in more detail:
- Jesus was punished that we might be forgiven
- Jesus was wounded that we might be healed
- Jesus was made sin with our sinfulness, that we might be made righteous with His righteousness
- Jesus tasted death for us that we might share His life
- Jesus was made a curse that we might receive the blessing
- Jesus endured our poverty that we might share His abundance
- Jesus bore our shame that we might share His glory
- Jesus endured our rejection that we might have His acceptance with the Father
- He was cut off that we might be joined to the Lord
- Our Old Man was put to death in Him that the New Man might come to life in us.
John 3:16 says it this way: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life”.
This weekend, as we celebrate Easter, may we be reminded of how much He loves us and the lengths that He is prepared to go to, to provide us with the opportunity to be in right relationship with Him.
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