Pain Pain Time Out

During one of our morning devotions, I was telling Mya about Jesus dying on the cross for us. She looked serious as the picture of Jesus was kinda sad, but it was clear from the look in her eyes that she did not understand what dying meant.

Why would she? How could she? And a part of me wishes she never has to understand or grasp what death is.

“Mya, Jesus died on the cross for us. You see He is pain-pain.”

“Pain-pain!” She frowned and looked concerned, she is getting it, a little.

“Yes, He endured pain-pain for us so that we do not have to be pain-pain. He died for sinners like us and took the punishment for us.”

Punishment – another big word that drew a partial blank.  

“Yes, He was punished for us and had a time-out from His Father. Not because He was naughty, but because we were. It’s like you were naughty and was gonna get a time-out, but Jesus say He’ll do time-out for you so you do not have to do time-out!”

She nodded. She understood time-out.  

And a time-out He got. “Aloi, Aloi, why have you forsaken me?”

The pain and the time-out, so that I the sinner do not have to bear the Father’s wrath for me and be separated from Him. 

The cross and the death, so that I can be justified and washed clean by His blood. So that I do not have to die the death that should have been mine.

The resurrection, oh the resurrection! He defeated death and it has lost its sting – and we will never need experience the full deadness of death, ever. Hooray! 

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This is one of my favorite reflections on the cross. Extracted from Max Lucado’s “He chose the nails”.

History only has one main event. Mankind’s timeline is dotted with important moments, the spark of the first flint, the rolling of the first wheel.. who dares to minimize these events, but who dares compare them with the cross? History only has one main event.

Scripture only has one main event. Others matter- but only one is essential. Moses will give you directions for the wilderness, but no solution for your sin. David’s defeat of Goliath may reduce your timidity, but only the cross prepares you for eternity. Scripture only has one main event.

And even in the life of Jesus, there is only ONE main event. For if there is no cross of Christ, then there is no truth to Christ.

And when it comes to your life, the same is true. To remove the cross, is to remove the hinge-pin from the door of hope, the door of your hope. For if there is no cross, there is no sacrifice for sin. And if there is no sacrifice for sin, how will you face a sinless God? Can you cleanse your own sin?

And if there is no cross of Christ, there is no resurrection of Christ. And if there is no resurrection of Christ, how will you live again? Will you push back your own grave?

Forgiveness of sins, deliverance from death, these are the claims of the cross. Let there be no mistake. The cross is not an event in history, it is THE Event of History.

Thank you God for the cross. So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross, till my trophies at last I lay down. I will cherish the old rugged cross and exchange it some day for a crown. Hallelujah!

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