Calvary In Our Hearts

Men looked, laughed and scorned. Some hissed, some whispered, yet others simply ignored. It was the moment of fulfillment of an outstanding purpose from time immemorial; what the heroes of faith had looked forward to but never seen and all saints had persistently thirsted to behold.

It came with harsh moments for one man, the only begotten of the Father, the Son of God, adopted as the Son of Man. There lies Jesus of Nazareth among his own people, the Jews, beaten, bruised, battered, and finally buried with the filthiness of sinful human flesh. Little wonder, Isaiah prophesied,

“3 He is despised and rejected of men;

a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and we hid as it were our faces from Him;

He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.
4 Surely he hath borne our griefs,
and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities:

the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed”.

- Isaiah 53:3-5
Amid His sufferings, He had His requests mockingly granted – vinegar for water – like serpent being given at the request of a fish. He endured the pains, hurts and torment; the rejection, despise and denial; he took the scorn and curses all to himself without any defense of word or sword, yet He never laid it to our account but for our redemption. So touching were His experiences popular gospel and hymns singer, Mary Mckee, sang along with The Genesis:

“Lord, how did it feel when friends turned You down?

Lord, how did it feel with thorns in Your Crown?

Lord, how did it feel with nails in Your hands?”

What quickly comes to mind is the question: why all these? But O, it was done for everyone who bothers to ask the question and even he that doesn’t – that makes all of us. He died that we might be justified, forgiven and redeemed from the destructive claws of sin and death. He did set us free from the guilt, penalty and control of sin. He exchanged our life and suffering for His, choosing to bear our cross which we ourselves could not even lift, that we may have a better life – of peace, joy and happiness. His benevolent, yet unforgettable act has delivered to us so much than we can fathom:

How pleasant it is to know that the Father made His Son a curse for our sakes when men hung Him on the tree. The curses of tradition and spiritual wickedness against us, of sin and death, where at once reeled off when He asserted with all finality, “It is finished!” Now, we rejoice for there is therefore no condemnation against us which are in Christ Jesus; being free from the law of sin and death, we are eternally alive with Him in Spirit.

Eternal life so abundant and free, the gift of the Blessed Father whose perfect plan with love immeasurable outweighs the devil’s fruitless coups of destruction; Himself is life, Himself is love; these He bestows to us that we may live freely, reigning with Him in glory and eternal bliss by the power of an endless life.

Don’t we often wonder how and why He daily loads us with benefits? He supplies every of our needs through His vast riches for He it is that gives us the power to amass wealth. Again, the work of His dear Son: though He was rich, yet, He became poor for our sakes so that we might be made rich through His poverty.

Has he only saved and prospered us? Nay, for He has also made us a partaker of His Divine nature, making us gods on nature’s earthly islands. We are the light of the world and the salt of the earth. He has bestowed on us the gift of faith for our profit, that we may decree and it shall happen, we may demand and shall be given, and we may call forth and it shall be unto us. Such creative force we now possess within, that we may have dominion over all, living supernaturally in a natural world.

These graceful efficacies of His eternal sacrifice and many more He urges us to call always to remembrance, not bringing back the memories of past sorrows which attract grief and fear; but to give glory to the name of the Father who orchestrated them. He is risen and we are justified; we are indeed blessed of the Father Most High.

And if we would dare to gain God’s whole commitment to our lives, we must bear Calvary in our hearts; remembering the place where the work for our entire lives was completed, yea, the place of our first encounter with Him who is called the Blessed Saviour – the place where Salvation was founded on earth. For there at Calvary, the human soul is broken and his will is crushed. Man is separated from his natural strength and by faith, renewed in the strength of God. Beholding his many sins upon the dying sinless Lamb which is hung on the rugged cross, life to him seems meaningless than to surrender all of His existence to the Lover of his soul who merits all his love. And now in memory of Calvary, he sings with spontaneous tears of overflowing joy,

“There at the cross where my Saviour died,

There, where from cleansing from sin I cried,

There to my heart was the blood applied,
Glory to His name.”
Fully surrendered, the justified is given to live the life of Him that made the Great exchange – Life for life – to prevent his destruction. Now we remember His precious sermon, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). His later act proved Him faithful to His Words.

Friend, do you know that the life you live after salvation is no more your own? Paul, the Gentile Apostle, remarked, “It is no more I that lives but Christ that lives in me” (Gal. 2:20). Howbeit after receiving His provision of grace at the mercy throne do you disdain such divine benefit? Does your life really reflect the person of Christ? Would He be happy to see you use His life the way you do? He was righteous, perfect and blameless during His lifetime; have you followed these?

Here is another chance from our loving Master whose mercy is infinite: a call to return unto Righteousness – right walk with God, Holiness – purity of flesh and spirit, Christlikeness – acting like Christ, and Godliness – representing God in the world. Don’t ignore such graceful opportunity but respond with godly fear and reverence.

“My life for yours”, says the Saviour, “I lay My Life for the sheep … Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you.” (John 10:15, 14:27)

PRAYER...
O Blessed Saviour and Lord, Thou Shepherd of our lives and Bishop of our souls; grant Ye this day, that in our sojourn here on earth, in seasons cold and hot, whether on land, sky or sea, at all times and everywhere, we might remember Thy Great Deed, never forgetting the Price of Thy Great Love. And even though we do forget, grant that Thy mercy forgive us and take us back to our very humble beginning, knitting our hearts to Calvary. Amen

John Felix
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