“When Jesus saw His mother standing there beside the disciple He loved, He said to her, ‘Dear woman, here is your son.’ And He said to this disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ And from then on this disciple took her into his home.” (John 19:26-27 NLT)
Have you ever wondered why John was the only one of the remaining original 12 disciples that died of natural causes? Might John’s willingness to care for Jesus’ mom had something to do with that?
Whether it did or not, the fact is Jesus spoke directly to His mother and to John from the Cross. He also spoke to the man on the cross next to Him, but jwhat I’d like for us to consider today is this: What is Jesus saying to you and me from the Cross?
Ron Hutchcraft wrote: “The spikes pounded into the hands that shaped the universe. The ‘God, why have You forsaken Me?’ cry of God’s one and only Son. My heart’s screaming, ‘Why?’ The Bible answers in our word for today from the Word of God in Galatians 2:20. ‘The Son of God loved me and gave Himself for me.’
Did you get that? For me – that’s what levels me. Jesus chose to go through that hell for me. And hell it was, because the Bible says, ‘He personally carried our sins in His own body on the cross’ (1 Peter 2:24) – the pain, the guilt, the eternal separation from God for all the sinning of my life. Jesus took my hell so I could go to His heaven.
Yes, my heart has been to His cross. I went there with my sin and I left forgiven. I went there dirty and I came away clean. I went there without Him in my life and I left there with the promise I’ll never be without Him again. Because I got what He died for when those two words captured my heart. ‘For me.’ He did this for me.”
What about you? What is the Savior speaking to you from His Cross? Are you burdened by the weight of your sin? Is conviction of your sin eating you from the inside out? Are you tired of trying to be the lord of your own life? Listen as the Lord speaks your name when He says: “Come to Me, ________ (your name) all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”
Are you tired of being empty, a shell trying to fill yourself with the trinkets of this world? John Blanchard wrote: “We will never crave to be filled until we are convinced that we are empty.” Hear the words of the Savior as He speaks to you: “I hung on the Cross to pay the penalty for your sins. You were on My mind when life drained from My body. I gave My life in your place so you could miss hell and come to heaven to be with Me. Please don’t wait another second. Let me fill and empower you to live a life you never dreamed possible! All you need to do is see that what I did on that Cross was for you!”
If you’ve not yet yielded your life and allegiance to Jesus, please don’t wait another second. As you look at the Cross, I pray as you see what He did there you’ll be able to understand and say in your own heart: “For ME!”
If you’re not sure how to give your life to the Lord please click the highlighted link and go to Ron Hutchcraft’s Bridge illustration.
Blessings, Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 