![]() ![]() Shouldn’t it have been turned around? Shouldn’t they have been washing the feet of their Lord and master? He whom the holy angels serve now serves sinful men. In the upper room at Jerusalem the night before his death, his hands picked up the basin of water and proceeded to wash his disciples’ feet. Jesus also used his hands to express love. What would I do if I couldn’t touch those nearest and dearest to me? With them I caress my spouse, hold close my children, comfort my loved ones in distress. “After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him” (John 13:5). “O all-atoning Sacrifice, You died to make me free.” ![]() How Jesus must love me! How strong must be the love that held him to that cross for me! One of his disciples, after standing beneath Jesus’ cross, wrote later, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us” (1 John 3:16). This Lenten season won’t be what it should until I also realize why Jesus let my sins nail him to the tree. So did I! This Lenten season is not going to be what it should until I change the “they” to “I” crucified him. Calloused soldiers, a spineless judge, a turncoat disciple, hateful countrymen, all took a swing at the nails with sin’s hammer. There’s no guessing, though, as to who pounded those nails through his hands and feet. I can only guess at what this involved for Jesus as he hung fastened by those nails to that cross. All of hell’s acid waves that were the wages for the world’s sins washed over God’s Son. Splintery wood and sharp nails, torn flesh and screaming nerve endings, constant pain and slow death, and more were involved in this form of execution. The gospels simply record, “They crucified him.” But there was nothing simple about it. He saw their imprint on his risen Savior’s limbs. ![]() Though the crucifixion accounts don’t mention nails by name, Thomas would tell us they were there. I cut with a knife, eat with a fork, and write with a pen. Risen Savior, remind me daily that you are the answer for all my tears. “He lives to silence all my fears he lives to wipe away my tears he lives to calm my troubled heart he lives all blessings to impart” ( Christian Worship: Hymnal 441:5). I need the assurance that his tomb is empty and he is gloriously alive. Like Mary, I need to hear the risen Savior’s question, “Why are you crying?” Sorrow over sin that makes my heart cry out looking for relief. Helpless sobs that the problems and pains of daily living wrench out of me. Tears shed in the hospitals and cemeteries of life. “Mary,” he said, but, oh, how how he said it! The love with which the risen Savior spoke her name brought an end to her tears and hope to her future. Behind her that first Easter stood the risen Savior. No wonder she was crying.īut Mary cries no longer. And now the final indignity-his body was missing or so it seemed, stolen by grave robbers or the unrelenting authorities. Then had come his hurried burial, leaving no time for friends like her to take care of his corpse properly. The One on whom she had pinned her hopes for salvation was a corpse-or so she thought. What a question to ask! Imagine how Mary must have felt when first the angels and now this stranger inquired about her tears. “She turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. Please take a moment to click the video image above and meditate on the message below. ![]() Chris Cordes and an Easter devotion written by Richard Lauersdorf. Praise be to our victorious Lord and King! On this joyous day of celebration, we share with you a special Easter message from NPH Vice President of Publishing Rev. ![]()
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