Welcome to the first Sunday of Lent. This is always a wonderful, yet sobering time of the year. We wait to celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday, yet we have 40 days of reflection–sober reflection leading up to that time. Today, I want to look briefly at the crucifixion day. We often think of God looking down on us from His throne in Heaven. But, today think about a different view. Instead of from “on high”, think about how Jesus viewed US from the Cross.

Think of what He must have been seeing as the minutes of His life ticked down to zero. He loved us so much, but yet we had Him sent to die on a cross. Notice I am “us” and not “them” when describing this scene. We were there, I was there.

Jesus—God incarnate—was looking out at His people. I was there. I was there as one of the spectators on the day of the crucifixion. Perhaps I was the criminal with the hardened heart, who looked at Jesus and chided Him even until his last breath. Maybe I was the criminal who saw Jesus for who He said He was and believed in Him at that critical hour. Or, maybe I was Judas–whose body may have still been hanging on a tree somewhere around. Or maybe I was Peter–and was so devastated that I had actually denied my Lord. Or Mary–who knew from the beginning that her son was going to be special, but had no idea it would end this way. Or maybe I was John, or Simon of Cyrene. Surely, I was someone on that day. But that day, Jesus saw ME. This is the most harrowing thought I have had in some time. He saw me for who I really am. Not who I project myself as.

Jesus saw all this and He still said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” In other words, Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive Jeremy, for he knows not what he does.” To you, He prayed, “Father, forgive ________, for he/she knows not what he/she does.”

More to come…
Jeremy