What a Savior

"Even though it was midday, a dreadful darkness covered the face of the world.  The sun could not shine.  The earth trembled and quaked.  The great mountains shook.  Rocks split in two.  Until it seemed that the whole world would break.  That creation itself would tear apart.

The full force of the storm of God's fierce anger at sin was coming down.  On his own Son.  Instead of his people.  It was the only way God could destroy sin, and not destroy his children whose hearts were filled with sin.
Then Jesus shouted out in a loud voice, "It is finished!"  (Jesus Story book Bible - The Sun stops Shining)

As I read through the Easter story with my Little's curled up around me, I came to this part and the tears started to flow.  The depth of response caught me off guard.   I wasn't in an emotionally charged service listening to powerful preachers...just simple words of profound theology from a children's book piercing my heart.  I forced myself to regain composure so I could finish the story, and get to to the good part.  The resurrection.  I was reminded again though, that this...although heavy, and somber is also the good part.   Words that make me want to weep and sing at the same time.

The FULL cup of wrath was taken.
There is none left for me.
There is none left for those who are in Christ.

God doesn't forgive me, and recreate my sin twisted heart, based merely on sympathy or my potential "goodness"....justice was filled, wrath was absorbed, my sin was atoned for...completely.
I am justified by HIS righteousness alone.

When I look at the wickedness, the atrocities, the depravity of our idol making, glory thieving race...I can't even imagine how God just didn't flick us out of his universe like we deserve ...but INSTEAD came in the flesh and was himself crushed for our iniquities.

Jesus in my place.
What can I do with a love like that other than surrender to it completely.  A rebel laying down her arms.

In Christ, there is nothing I could do that could make God love me more; nothing I could do, or have done that makes him love me less.

"For those in Christ, this is the confidence we have before God. 
We don't hope we're forgiven, we know it, because our standing before God has nothing to do with our worthiness, but the worthiness of the Advocate who now stands in our place."  (J.D Greear "Stop asking Jesus into your heart")

The gospel tears me all apart again.



"Could my zeal no respite know, could my tears forever flow, all for sin could not atone.
Thou must save, and Thou alone...
Rock of ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in Thee!"

Hallelujah, what a Savior!