"I did it"

John Stott wrote, “Before we can begin to see the cross as something done for us (leading us to faith and worship), we have to see it as something done by us (leading us to repentance)…As we face the cross, then, we can say to ourselves both ‘I did it; my sins sent Him there,’ and ‘He did it; His love took Him there.’

We caused the Great Rescue to happen. It was because of our sins that God had to send a Saviour and substitute into this world. Our sins left the Father with no choice, but to reject his beloved Son, Jesus when he died on the cross on our behalf. The Father’s holiness could not be compromised even though it ached His heart to see His Son being treated like a criminal, as though he was the one responsible for every sin ever committed. How painful it must have been for the Father to see His Son being condemned and cursed in order for us to go free, and how painful it must have been for Jesus to be forsaken by his Father at that instance so that you and I will never be forsaken.

Once again, I am being reminded of the significance of the Cross and the gravity of sin. I cannot help but be forced to think about the real nature of sin, the intense wickedness that we, humans are capable of, and the terrifying wrath that God has towards sin. Yet, at the same time, the Cross reassures me of God’s magnificent and amazing love, as well as His unspeakable mercy towards sinners, like you and I. This reassurance truly humbles me and reminds me of my need to depend on God to sustain me all the days of my life. Without His everlasting grace, mercy, hope and forgiveness, I don’t think I will ever be able to run this race with joy and peace in my heart.

I do think that one truly need to first approach the reality of sin before he/she can appreciate God’s incredible work on the Cross. But perhaps, it is not just realizing the seriousness of sin and humbly acknowledging the need of a Saviour to live a righteous life, but also, recognizing the holiness of God, which will never change to suit our standards. The torture and agony that Christ experienced on the cross has demonstrated the weight of sin in the eyes of God. May this serve as a reminder for me to never ignore His holiness- assuming that God is as tolerant of sin as we are, just so that I can excuse myself to succumb to my own fleshly desires.