When He Was On the Cross. . .

This past weekend, Steve and I “ran away” for a couple of nights in Branson, MO. We had tickets to see “Noah” at the Sight and Sound Theater, but they called us Thursday morning to let us know that they had cancelled all the shows this week due to cast being exposed to COVID. So, we ended up at the Presley’s Country Jubilee. Now, the first time that we saw that show was 20+ years ago, and it is truly “good family fun!” We’ve watched those boys grow up. Chuck Crain has been with the show for many years, and he has one of the most beautiful tenor voices that I’ve ever heard. He sang a religious song this year that I haven’t been able to get off my mind. The title was “When He Was On the Cross, I Was On His Mind.” I’ve never spent time thinking about what Jesus could have been thinking about those six hours that He hung on the cross. Have you?

We know that He spoke seven times from the cross. We know that He had such a forgiving spirit towards those that crucified Him when He asked, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34) We know that He was concerned for His earthly mother, Mary, when he told her and his beloved apostle John, “Woman, behold thy son!” and “Behold thy mother” (John 19:26-27). We know that He was concerned for the lost when He assured the thief who hung beside Him, “Verily, I say unto thee, today shalt thou be with Me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). We know that His physical body was in need when He said, “I thirst” (John 19:28). We know that He felt the pain of being separated from God, the Father, when He said, “Eli, Eli, Lama Sabachthini” which is interpreted, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me!” (Matthew 27:46). We can sense His relief when He said, “It is finished” (John 19:30), and when He cried out with a loud voice, “Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit” (Luke 23:46).

Peter tells us that Jesus suffered for us, “Who His own self, bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed” (I Peter 2:24). The “body of Christ” (Colossians 2:17), which is composed of those who have been “buried with Him in baptism and risen with Him through faith” (Colossians 2:12), had their sins “taken out of the way, nailing them to His cross” (Colossians 2:14). His blood ran backwards and covered those who had lived before and forwards – covering those in the future. Because we are sinful creatures (“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:24)), He went to that cross for YOU and for ME. “When HE was on the cross, YOU and I were on His mind.” How humbling is that? Think about it. Oh Lord, how great Thou art! We are truly, simply blessed, Courtney