If We Had Been There

If We Had Been There

Here is food for thought as you contemplate what took place yesterday when Jesus died on the cross for you and me.

If we had been Jews, would we have spoken out for Him when the Sanhedrin accused Him of blasphemy? If we had been Gentiles, would we have defended Him when the Romans condemned Him to death?
If we had been disciples, would we have stayed with Him when the crowd became a crucifying mob? Or would have been like Peter – who followed Him and loved Him and denied Him three times before the dawn?

Where you there when they crucified my Lord? O! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.

And the Christ who was crucified there, once said: “As you have done it to the least of these, My brothers, you have done it unto Me.”As nations rise in war. As governments oppress the poor. As passive people turn and look aside --In silence We crucify. Again, We crucify.

As indifference forms the pattern of our lives,As hungry children cry for food, As widows mourn alone in empty rooms, In apathy – we crucify. Again – we crucify.

Were you there when they nailed Him to a tree? O! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.

I think of the nails that crucified my Lord. They were made of iron, but more – They were made of hatred, prejudice and greed. And I wonder – what part of myself is found in the shadow of that mob that stretches down through history? What part of myself creates nails in other forms that wound my brother – and my Lord?

You know how many times I have betrayed You, Lord.You know the times I have chosen evil over good. Guilt lies upon me like an iron cloak. My soul is heavy – my burden hard.

Were you there when He rose up from the grave? O! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.

In the act of death He absorbs our sins. In love, He forgives our failures. In the act of resurrection He gives the promise of acceptance, the assurance of forgiveness, the affirmation of eternal life. “Your sins are forgiven you”, He said, “Go and sin no more.”

Through your love, I am made whole, Through your death, I have found new life. You are my shield, my redeemer, my hope. My sins are forgiven – Reading from Hymns for the Family of God

Digging Deeper: Proverbs 3; Judges 19-21; Luke 7:31-50

Dig This Quote: As you gaze upon the cross, and long for conformity to him, be not weary or fearful because you cannot express in words what you seek. Ask him to plant the cross in your heart. Believe in him, the crucified and now living one, to dwell within you, and breathe his own mind there. Andrew Murray

Determined Digging: Level 1 -- Psalm 91:1; Level 2- Psalm 51:1-4

Join us tonight for our Keswick Celebration Choir presentation of KNOWN BY THE SCARS. 7:00 PM at the Activity Center. You can also watch live at www.americaskeswick.org.

Check out this week's STEWARDSHIP INSIGHT from George. We appreciate George providing this insight for us: http://keswickgeorge.blogspot.com/2010/03/whats-so-bad-about-being-in-financial.html