«Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed» (Isaiah 53:.4, 5).
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN, AT LEAST FOR A FEW MOMENTS, we visit Golgotha in our imagination and contemplate Jesus giving up His life for us?
According to Ellen G. White, at least two things happen every time we stop at the foot of the cross: one, we understand something about the depth of God’s love; the other, we have a glimpse of how horrible sin is.—Our Father Cares, reading for March 9.
This reality was illustrated well by an experience Pastor J. R. Spangler told in his devotional book, God in First Place. He said that during an evangelistic campaign, a lady wanted to give her heart to Christ, but she had problems with liquor. When it looked like she was winning, she would fall again. One day, after studying the Bible, the lady felt a strong desire to drink. She went out to buy a bottle and when she returned, she poured herself a glass. As she was getting ready to drink from the glass, she saw the Bible she had read during the day and reached for it with one hand, while holding the glass with the other. Whom would she obey: God or the tempter?
As she looked at her hands, which at the time looked more like the plates of a scale, she reasoned, «I can’t keep both of them. I have to keep one and reject the other.» Then she thought about the love of Jesus; about all that the Lord had suffered to be able to save her. At that very moment, the temptation lost its power. «From then on,» wrote Pastor Spangler, «[this lady] never again rejected Christ because of drinking.”
This is exactly what happens when we kneel «at the foot of the cross.» Not only do we perceive how horrible sin is, but we also understand some of the greatness, height, width, and depth of God’s love for us, His children.
«It would be well for us to spend a thoughtful hour each day in contemplation of the life of Christ. We should take it point by point, and let the imagination grasp each scene, especially the closing ones. . . . If we would be saved at last, we must learn the lesson of penitence and humiliation at the foot of the cross.»—The Desire of Ages, ch. 8, p. 83.
When was the last time you were «at the foot of the cross»?
Dear Jesus, today I resolve to have a personal encounter with You, every morning, at the foot of the cross. I want to get to know You better every day, and thus, spread more and more of Your great love around me.
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Taken from: Devotional Readings for Adults 2022
“GREAT IS OUR GOD!”
From: FERNANDO ZABALA
Collaborators: Xiomara Perdomo & Angelica Cuate
