Beyond Calvary...

Retreat Day today...
Pondered more deeply into God's amazing Love

I've recently put up this line in my MSN messenger...
"Jesus bore the pain, because He looked beyond calvary and saw...you and me...*in awestruck wonder...because you first loved me*"

Was just very touched by the words 'He looked beyond calvary..." that i heard in a Parachute band song, and it led me to think on it and imagine that scene on calvary...

Can you imagine? The Lord of the world, supposedly a coming King and glorious in His splendor, willing to come show us the way...bearing the cross, the symbol of shame, the ultimate humiliation of carrying your instrument of torment and knowing that you would die on it. Jesus did it willingly...He bore that shame, that humilation, the pain, the separation from God, the filthiness of sin, even those uncommitted yet...the spotless lamb, dirtying Himself...and for what purpose? As He wallked up the hill to calvary...all a normal man would be able to see would be the cruel guards, the endless taunting, mocking and heckling of the ignorant mob, BUT...Jesus did not see that...

He looked BEYOND calvary! beyond the hill where death lay for him and beyond that dark moment, that momentary pain and that utter hopelessness...He saw eternity...an eternity where He would see that great crowd of witnesses, that great number who know Jesus, and call Him closer than a friend, sharing a divine intimacy for the whole of eternity! He saw a future hope with the heckling crowd transformed, the crowd that very likely contained you and me...

He walked to calvary willingly because of you and me...that final victory scene...Wow...imagining it in my mind totally brought home the impact of His sacrifice!

Thank you Lord for the nails that you took for me, the holes in your hands and feet that would have been mine, you took them willingly so that i would not have to suffer eternal separation from you. Lord, i want to know more of that kind of agape Love. Loving...in spite of...despite...because of...loving because the Love of the Lord that compels us! Lord, you know my heart, you know the innermost depths and recesses even better than me! And Lord, i want to confess that i do not know you enough, but Lord, i want to lay hold of you, to know the majesty and divine mystery of your Love, you've heard my questions and my heart cry for you...i want a desire and love for you that grows daily and conforms me more and more into your image! Grant me more of you Lord...let me be an unblemished mirror that reflects your glory...a vessel, wholly devoted to you, and showing your love and your example in all situations.