Still Bruised from Easter

My heart is still bruised from Easter.

Despite my Yankee upbringing, I'm very tenderhearted. I cry at sad animal stories, dodge squirrels crossing the road, and seldom watch movies that don't promise a happy ending. I've never watched The Passion of the Christ, because I know they'd have to carry me out in a bucket; all that would be left of me would be a sniveling, sobbing, puddle of emotion.

I came to Christ as a young adult. I'd made enough bad choices by then to wholeheartedly agree with Romans 3:23 when it proclaimed that "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." I knew unequivocally that I had a sure seat among the "all" who had sinned. Because of my thorough understanding of my own guilt before a holy God, I have no difficulty comprehending what my sin cost Christ on the cross.

But a recent reading from Spurgeon's Morning by Morning ripped the scab off my tender heart and reminded me again how great a debt I owe my precious Savior. He writes this:

"My sins were the very scourges that lacerated the flesh of His blessed shoulders, and my sins were the thorns that crowned His bleeding brow.

"My sins cried, 'Crucify him! Crucify him!' and then laid the cross upon His gracious shoulders.

His being led forth to die is enough sorrow for all of eternity to bear, but knowing I was His murderer is more grief--infinitely more--than one poor human fountain of tears can express."

Today, bowed and humbled before Christ's immense love gift of salvation, I wept brokenheartedly over the price He paid for me.


For me.

"Amazing love! How can it be? That thou my God shouldst die for me!"


The next time I am tempted to view my own sin too lightly, may I see in my mind's eye a vision of Christ on the cross

For me.

What about you? Are you tempted to minimize your sin because it's "only minor?" The cumulative effect of "minor" sin created a human sin debt so great it cost the holy Son of God His life. Will you join me in viewing every sin in light of the price our Savior had to pay?

Lori Hatcher is the author of the blog, Hungry for God; Starving for Time, where she provides twice-weekly doses of spiritual nutrition for busy people. Like a spiritual power bar, Lori's devotions will nourish your soul when you don't have time for a spiritual meal. To subscribe, click here.






Did you know that Lori has a devotional book for homeschooling moms called Joy in the Journey?

With a devotional for every week of the school year, JITJ has application questions, an action step, and a prayer. It's suitable for your own devotional reading or for use by a support group for meeting ideas.

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