ATONEMENT OR LOVE
See the cross
Jesus hangs
Suspended
Arms pinned
Feet nailed
Head slumped
People jear
Blood flows
Lema sabachthani
The lance
More blood
And water
God watches
God’s Son
God’s Self
On the cross
Slowly
Dying
God of heaven
Man of earth
Of both
Yet
In that moment
Of neither
Why?!
Why die? Surely there must have been another way. This is God! Is this the best God can do?! Pain. Agony. Death.
Yet, Jesus’ life was nothing if it was not to show us what love is. Jesus lived God’s love and was true to love, to the end.
Jesus forgave and invited everyone to relationship with Him — with God, while He lived, before any of His precious blood was spilled. Jesus taught, lived, and died love. Jesus is love.
Does our sin hurt God? Absolutely! God hurts an infinite pain as God’s desire to share God’s love is thwarted by our selfishness and our arrogance.
But still, God loves.
Pain is not healed by more pain.
Hurt is not satiated by death.
Love does not rejoice when it sees agony.
God does not…just…love.
God…IS…love! (1Jn 4:8).