And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death-even death on a cross!
Philippians 2:8
During Lent, we remember Jesus, the One who “…humbled himself by becoming obedient to death-even death on a cross! (Phil. 2:8).” It is sometimes tempting to sanitize and romanticize the cross, but this ancient ritual introduced to Rome by the Phoenicians in the 3rd century BC was no romantic matter. Death on a cross resulted in a brutal and violent death which lasted anywhere from 4-6 hours, and which resulted in, among other things, hemorrhage, asphyxia, dehydration, and cardiac arrest.
Jesus being fully man, agonized in the Garden of Gethsemane, at what was set before him, even pleading for God to take this cup away from him (Luke 22:42). Yet being fully divine, Jesus also understood and accepted his role. Only he, sinless and blameless, could adequately make reparation for humanity’s sin. Ultimately, his love for us and obedience to God, his Father, won out as he willingly surrendered to the cross, offering up his life for our redemption from sin and eternal death.
As we journey through Lent, let us prepare ourselves for Easter through prayer, through humbling ourselves and repenting of our sins, through self-denial and remembrance of who we really are as followers of Jesus Christ. Let us take up our cross daily, with all its pain, heaviness and discomfort and let us follow him, who has gone ahead of us, the Lord Jesus Christ, himself.
Loving Savior, thank you for your perfect love. Thank you for your death on the cross which has freed me from eternal condemnation. Because you died and rose again, I can now live for all eternity with God. Hallelujah! AMEN.