Good Friday
Peter wept bitterly, and the door to his heart was locked with shame and guilt. Confronted with his weaknesses, the weight of his humanity settled over him. Disappointment and disillusion chased him to a dark place, where he cowered and sought cover from the reality of what was happening outside.
While Jesus was tried and condemned to death (Matthew 27:1-44), gruesomely crucified on a cross (Matthew 27:45-56), laid to rest in a borrowed tomb (Matthew 27:57-61), and left abandoned and alone, he endured to secure eternal life for you and me.
“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:6-8 (NIV)
God sees us as we are—cowering and covering in the darkness of sin and shame. He is drawn to the powerless and broken. He reaches out to the disappointed and disillusioned.
“If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.” 2 Timothy 2:13 (NKJV)
Jesus saw Peter, me, and you while dying on a blood-soaked cross on Calvary. He looked across the ages with eyes of redeeming love, seeing everything, no matter how weak or ugly. And still, He willingly offered His life in place of mine.
Jesus died for me.
His love held Peter through the darkness of betrayal, denial, and the tears of disappointment and shame. The look of love and the words of life echoed repeatedly in Peter’s mind and heart during those dark and difficult days.
Today, Jesus looks at you from the vantage point of the cross and says, “My love holds on to you.” As you contemplate the meaning of the cross and the sacrifice God made for you, I pray that you will recognize God demonstrating how very precious you are to Him, and humbly thank Him for the free gift of eternal life.
