The Resurrection

¹ Early on Sunday morning,^[a] while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. ² She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, “They have taken the Lord’s body out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”

³ Peter and the other disciple started out for the tomb. ⁴ They were both running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. ⁵ He stooped and looked in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he didn’t go in. ⁶ Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, ⁷ while the cloth that had covered Jesus’ head was folded up and lying apart from the other wrappings. ⁸ Then the disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in, and he saw and believed—⁹ for until then they still hadn’t understood the Scriptures that said Jesus must rise from the dead. ¹⁰ Then they went home.

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene

¹¹ Mary was standing outside the tomb crying, and as she wept, she stooped and looked in. ¹² She saw two white-robed angels, one sitting at the head and the other at the foot of the place where the body of Jesus had been lying. ¹³ “Dear woman, why are you crying?” the angels asked her.

“Because they have taken away my Lord,” she replied, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”

¹⁴ She turned to leave and saw someone standing there. It was Jesus, but she didn’t recognize him. ¹⁵ “Dear woman, why are you crying?” Jesus asked her. “Who are you looking for?”

She thought he was the gardener. “Sir,” she said, “if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him.”

¹⁶ “Mary!” Jesus said.

She turned to him and cried out, “Rabboni!” (which is Hebrew for “Teacher”).

¹⁷ “Don’t cling to me,” Jesus said, “for I haven’t yet ascended to the Father. But go find my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

¹⁸ Mary Magdalene found the disciples and told them, “I have seen the Lord!” Then she gave them his message.

The Unveiling

After the Sabbath, very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, Mary Magdalene, Salome, and the other Mary went to look at the tomb and anoint Jesus’ body. They asked themselves, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?” There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, and going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. Mary Magdalene came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus’ loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have put him!”

The angel said to the (other) women, “Why are you looking for the living among the dead? Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; He has risen like He said.” Then they remembered His words. “Come and see the place where He lay. Then go quickly and tell the disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him.’”
Matthew 28: 1 – 7; Mark 16: 1 – 7; John 20: 1,2

Lucis stood near the tomb watching and recording the most important events of history as they unfolded around him. The heavenly host had gathered en masse to witness the Unveiling. Suddenly, with an explosion exceeding that of creation, the detonation of resurrection poured forth from the tiny tomb in an ever-widening sphere. First, it hit the surrounding garden, causing a shudder throughout the entire planet. The sudden flash revealed an angel of awesome proportions to the terrified guards. Reverential fear rendered them instantly unconscious. Even as they fell to the earth, the angel rolled back the stone from the tomb and sat upon it with a childlike glee.

As the sphere of resurrection continued to expand, it plowed through the earth, reaching the depths of Sheol. Dark angels and their evil lord crumpled into the small mounds in an attempt to avoid destruction. The roar of life that tore through them masked their screams. As the explosion increased, it picked up greater momentum. Now enveloping the earth, creation groaned in anticipation. Before the flinch of a Seraphim’s wing, it had consumed the solar system and the entire angelic host. In veneration, they fell prostrate before the blast. Farther and farther it grew until it overtook all of eternity. In a move that only Godhead could carry out, the explosion broke through the fabric of eternity into the All in All.

In an omnipotent back draft, resurrection unexpectedly turned inward contracting back toward the source of the discharge. As the ball of life now imploded, it sent a second wave inward until it reached the Incarnation. Resurrection would be contained in One being.

All became still, except for one hidden being that seemed unscathed by the explosion. Death, initially taking cover, now cautiously appeared as a triumphant victor. But before it could open its mouth, it froze in terror. In the tomb it observed the astonishing countenance of He-who-was-now-Alive. Death became immobilized as its Antithesis approached. Touching death’s brow, the Son spoke. “You are forever castrated of your power. From this point forward, you will decrease and I will increase. Your reign is done.” Then, as quick as it began, the drama concluded.

But Lucis was far from finished. A new age was beginning that would make the first age seem a simple foreword to the history of eternity. Lucis smiled, knowing the next few weeks should prove quite interesting. In that moment, he wrote the first words that come to his spirit. “Alive. He is alive. The Mystery is Revealed.”

Death has been swallowed up in victory
Where, O’ death, is your victory?
Where, O’ death, is your sting?

Questions Revisited

The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ So give the order for the tomb to remain secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.” “Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting a guard.
Matthew 27: 62 – 66

“Lucis, the charge I now give you is the most important of our creation.” Gabriel spoke with the utmost urgency, but he also seemed ready to explode with joyous anticipation. “You are to be present at the Unveiling and record all that you witness. This chronicle of the Mystery Revealed will be passed down for eternity.” Lucis was as apprehensive as a heavenly being could be. He knew this was the moment for which he was created, and all creatures from time without end would hear his account. “Before you depart for the garden, I would like to open your eyes to a variety of dramatis personae that have been a part of this story. I want you to clearly understand the scope of your mission.”

Instantly, he found himself in a sullied back alley in Jerusalem. A man was huddled against the wall, shaking from the cold. Rocking back and forth, he mumbled the same phrase again and again. “It should have been my cross. It should have been mine…”

Fading away, Lucis found himself in the bedchambers of the High Priest. He was in a fitful sleep when he suddenly awoke, sat straight up in his bed, and let loose a terrified scream. “Crucify him!”

In a moment, Lucis stood in the writing room of the Prefect of the Judean Province. Pilate was agonizing over a letter he was composing for Rome detailing the incidents of the last few days. Of course, he did not intend to send the dispatch unless asked, but a good defense was better if it was well prepared. Slamming his fist to the writing table, he let loose a cry of frustration. “Damned be that manipulative Council and the trouble they’ve caused me!”

Feeling himself being whisked away again, Lucis found himself in the home of a Centurion. Endless tears flowed from the centurion’s face as he composed a letter of some sort clarifying the details of his role in the crucifixion.

Lucis traveled to several sites over the next few hours. He started to see this narrative from a multitude of perspectives. His next to last stop was a darkened small upper room, where the disciples who had abandoned Him hid. Their only covering seemed to be an all-enveloping depression. Even with angelic understanding, he was stunned at the vast amount of emotions the Son’s death evoked in these tender humans.

While still caught in his thoughts, Lucis found himself in front of the garden tomb. The sun was cresting the horizon while a few sleepy guards stood at a half-hearted attention. As the earth slowly began to tremble, Lucis pulled out his parchment and pen. “Ready yourself, Lucis, for the world is about to erupt…”

I wait for You, Jesus.

Entombed

At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth. Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation, and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses were sitting there opposite of the tomb. The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.
Matthew 27: 59 – 61; Luke 23: 54 – 56; John 19: 40 – 42

In the mad rush to entomb the body before sunset, the small gathering of women and men set their grieving aside until the task was complete. In a very matter-of-fact way, they prepared the body to the best of their abilities, and carefully placed Him on the cold stone shelf in the tomb. Mary Magdalene, standing on the outside of the garden grave, thought it odd that such a dismal place should be so beautiful. The fresh-hewn tomb was crystalline in appearance, as the setting sun, finally breaking through the day’s dark clouds, shown off the semi-polished rock that had not had time to gather dust or feel the affects of age. As the men emerged, they carefully released the flat circular stone from the elevated track in the front of the tomb. The rounded stone, in a small burst of downward momentum, boomed as it locked into place on front of the entrance. Now firmly planted, it would take a large group of men to roll this several hundred pound rock away.

The crash of the stone caused the small gathering to shudder. The reality of their loss descended upon them in a sudden deluge. Their beloved Master was dead, and the tomb would not let them forget that fact. Sitting opposite of the grave, Mary Magdalene fell to the ground as if to faint. Quietly, almost imperceptively, she wept. As her tears gathered becoming a tempest, she remembered the day they met.

As a woman filled with self-rage and insane lust, her existence had been filled with the pain and distress of an unsavory lifestyle. Her hometown of Magdala, on the coast of the Galilean Sea and known for its prostitution rings, had become a cancer to her soul. She had been a woman with no control of her mind or body. Mary was entombed inside her head, having the ability to see out, but with no control of her actions. This would often manifest itself in multiple personalities that arrived and departed as they saw fit. That was until He arrived.

When she first noticed Him, all she wanted to do was throw herself into the sea and end her misery. He was so lovely, so holy, and this caused her to feel the weight of her sin and shame. Taking notice of Mary, he spoke a simple word that brought her to her right mind. In an instant, she was free. He had seen the invisible demons inside her and addressed them with unmitigated authority. The insubstantial woman of torment became the tangible Mary. From that moment, she followed Him, never to return to that dreadful town. Mary Magdalene would serve Him as long as she was able.

Sitting in front of His grave, she wiped her eyes and prepared to leave. Mary determined to tend His grave for the rest of her life, so that none would forget God’s Son.

You always remind me that if I trust in You and do not lean on my understanding, You will direct and steady my steps. Help me to put the direction of my life into Your hands and to not foolishly grasp for it myself. Set me free from the tomb of my mind and draw me into the freedom of Your guidance and peace.

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Each day we will provide a “daily question” to help you navigate your Lenten journey. This is your time to reflect on how God is moving through your life.

What areas of your life do you feel are totally out of control and they seem to entomb you with their power?

Taken

Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses (the mother of Zebedee’s sons), and Salome. In Galilee these women had followed Him and cared for His needs. Many other women who had come up with Him to Jerusalem were also there. It was Preparation Day (that is the day before Sabbath). So as evening approached, Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council (a rich, upright man who had himself become a secret disciple of Jesus because he feared the Jews and), who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who had earlier visited Jesus by night. Pilate was surprised to hear that He was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died. When he learned from the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. Taking Jesus’ body down, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs.
Mark 15: 40 – 45; Luke 23:50 – 52; John 19: 38 – 40

“It may be a foolish move, my friend, but it necessary for our redemption.” Joseph spoke in hushed tones in a darkened alley beneath the fortress. In full agreement, Nicodemus replied, “If only we had been as fearless while He lived. But I will not cower again.” The two men were rapidly approaching Pilate’s presence. They had both argued for Jesus’ release during the trial, but received only the jeers and antagonism of the Council. Heartbroken, they watched His trial, torture, and death, all from afar. Shoulder to shoulder they wept as they saw His head slump in a final breath. At the moment of His expiration, something awoke in both men. The respect and place of honor they had both possessed was now bile in their throats.

Joseph of Arimathea was a wealthy and reputable member of the Sanhedrin. The first day he heard Jesus in the temple he was convinced that the long awaited Christ had arrived. But the fear of losing his position of authority kept his love for the Rabbi shrouded in secrecy. Nicodemus was one of the most educated and respected teachers in Israel. His study of the scriptures had convinced him that Jesus of Nazareth was Messiah, and he quietly awaited the day of His disclosure. Together, the two men often shared of their love for the Messiah. Yet they had an understanding that they would not discuss their secret beliefs openly for fear of public shame.

When Jesus entered Jerusalem a week ago, they were both prepared to bow their knees upon the revelation of His sovereignty. But circumstances had taken a tragic turn. They now determined together that the death of their friend would not be the departure of their faith. Boldly, they asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. “An odd request,” thought Pilate. These men were not family, nor afraid of entering into Pilate’s home, nor of defilement upon of handling a dead body. It was a daring if not foolhardy request. To honor their audacity, he would grant their boon.

Hurrying back to Golgotha, they spoke a few words of comfort to the grieving women that stood at the foot of the tree. Another man, the young disciple of Jesus, helped lower the body from the cross. With rapid and willful purpose, they washed the gashed corpse and wrapped it in a layer of cloth. After applying the aromatic spices, the body was wrapped again. Though their prior actions were born of cowardice, their present open confession left no doubt about how they would now and forever view the Prophet from Galilee.

I can think of too many times when I have kept You hidden from those that needed a word of Your love. Forgive me for my times of cowardice, and fill me with Your Spirit. Let true boldness be an integral part of my character. Open wide the gates of opportunity to share Your truth, and help me to embrace those You love.

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Each day we will provide a “daily question” to help you navigate your Lenten journey. This is your time to reflect on how God is moving through your life.

Where do you usually find yourself in the tension of fear and boldness with your faith? Where do you want to dwell and why?

Blood and Water

Now it was the Day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jews did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. The soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man that had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. But when they came to Jesus and found that He was already dead, so they did not break His legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you may also believe. These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken,” and as another scripture says, “They will look on the one they have pierced.”
John 19: 31 – 37

A joy filled the heart of First Man as the Lord God gently covered his eyes. Although he had no idea of what was about to happen, he was assured of one truth: this event would be very good indeed.

The Creator, after designating First Man “Adam”, had then asked him to name all the other creatures of the earth that He would present before him. With childlike glee, Adam named them, one by one. But he quickly took notice that every wonderful living thing had a matching counterpart. As the game of designation progressed, he found himself looking over the multitude of creatures surrounding him. No counterpart for him could be found. For the first time in mankind’s newborn history, loneliness and incompletion became an experienced emotion. Where was the “she” to compliment his “he-ness”?

On the day that he felt his heart would finally burst with sadness, his Father walked into the garden. They discussed his ‘aloneness’ in great detail. Adam began to sense that there was much more to this matter than he had previously guessed. Even as he fell into a divine deep slumber, he knew his Father would mend his incomplete heart. The tender, celestial hand of an Omnipotent God entered into Adam’s side. What Adam did not realize was that there was a gift the Creator had hidden very close to his heart. This gift was the source of Adam’s incompleteness. Reaching for this hidden treasure, the Creator of all seen and unseen removed the masterpiece of creation that was hidden in His child. A few days after Adam awoke, this secret legacy would be revealed. The Creator would present to Adam a Bride that would bring him completeness and overwhelming joy.

The day was rapidly coming to a close, and the soldiers knew the victims must soon be removed and buried according to Jewish law. They had a special process of final elimination they called the crurifragium. Going to the first thief on the right of Jesus, they smashed his legs. The prisoner screamed in agony, but quickly expired of shock. The guard noticed that this one seemed to smile in peace during the last few seconds of his life. The thief on the left shrieked as they crushed his legs. He thrashed so violently that his life ended with a gurgling scream. Already recognizing His departure, and not wanting to inflict anymore damage on the body of Jesus, the soldiers opted for another form of proof to testify of His death. One of the guards grabbed a spear and thrust it under Jesus’ ribs, straight into His heart. As blood and water flowed, an invisible gift also emerged. For in this Man’s heart, there was a hidden secret. A Bride, that would bring Him completeness and overwhelming joy, would very soon be revealed.

I come and fall at your feet in awe. For what other way am I to respond to Your call: “Come forth my Bride!” Your blood covers my sins, and Your water of life engulfs my spirit. You have cleansed me, and You have prepared me to be a spotless bride. So now I await the Great Anticipation, the wedding feast of the Lamb, and I imagine beyond imagination what that day will bring.

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Each day we will provide a “daily question” to help you navigate your Lenten journey. This is your time to reflect on how God is moving through your life. 

How might seasons of aloneness draw us closer to God?

Centurion

When the centurion (who stood there in front of Jesus) and those with him who were guarding Jesus heard His cry, saw the earthquake and saw how He died, they were terrified. (The centurion) praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man and the Son of God!” When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away. But all those who knew Him, including the woman who had followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance watching these things.
Matthew 27:54; Mark 15:38,39; Luke 24:47 – 49

As I have already explained to you Flavius, my tale of the execution of Jesus of Nazareth has been a great mystery to me. But now I tell you the oddest part of my story.

As leader of the execution squad, I had been close enough to hear all of the Nazarene’s words from the cross. Seven times He spoke, and each discourse seemed to undo my heart a bit more. I can only explain this with a crude illustration. It was like removing the gear, piece by piece, from my faithful steed’s back. When he is finally free of his tackle, he can run free and unhindered. Slowly, this supposed criminal’s words were causing me to remove obstacles of doubt in my mind. When He cried His final words, “It is finished!” my men and I fell to the earth terrified.

Flavius, you must understand that He did not die from crucifixion. He chose to die as if He dominated death itself. The skies darkened in mourning. The earth shook in fury. Every element of creation seemed to grieve His departure. Even those that had surrounded Him to find amusement in His suffering started to pound their chests in the Jewish custom of grieving. Quickly, they crept away wearing cloaks of shame and misery. A small group of His followers stood back and wept, waiting for the chance to remove and bury His decimated body.

In all my years leading this century of men and overseeing countless crucifixions, I have never observed signs like this. I stood to my feet and looked at the man on the cross. Even in death, He possessed an air of absolute peace. All I could do was declare, “Surely this was a righteous man and the Son of God!”

So Flavius, as I have already revealed, I must end my commission as a Centurion in the Roman army. Part of this falls on your shoulders, my friend. For it was the tale of how this Holy man first visited your home in Capernaum that opened my heart to the possibility of His claim. Hearing about and seeing your dear child healed continues to be a point of conversation among the officers. Imagine, a Roman centurion inviting a rabbi to heal his child. You are practically a Hebrew yourself. I still laugh at the words He spoke about you. “Surely I have not seen such a great faith in all of Israel.” Now, Flavius, my tale ends. I shall be departing in a fortnight back to Troas to become a simple farmer and to spread the story of the crucified Son of God. May our paths cross once again in the afterlife.

You declared that those who witnessed and believed were blessed.
Yet, You also said that those who have not seen and believed are greatly blessed.
I believe in You Lord Christ. May I pass Your blessing onto others every day.

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Each day we will provide a “daily question” to help you navigate your Lenten journey. This is your time to reflect on how God is moving through your life.

At the foot of the cross a centurion declared that Jesus was who He said He was.  The soldier had had an epiphany – a moment where everything suddenly became clear. Have you ever had a moment where Christ’s divine nature became clear to you? If so, how did your life change as a result of it?

¹⁴ And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, ¹⁵ so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.^[a]

¹⁶ “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.

¹⁸ “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. ¹⁹ And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. ²⁰ All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. ²¹ But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.^[b]”

Torn

And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, He gave up His spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus’ resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.
Matthew 27:50 – 53

The young priest-in-training was quite concerned over the events that had been rapidly unfolding around him. The only facts he knew for sure were that there was a strange meeting of the Jewish council this morning that led to the crucifixion of the false prophet from Galilee, and that the rest of the day was dedicated to celebrating the Passover. Most of the chief priests returned to the temple, after a morning of deliberations, to fulfill their duties, but many were strangely quiet and some seemed to be brooding.

About noon, as the Jewish men were bringing their sacrifices to the temple, a dark cloud mass, covering as far as the eye could see, rolled over Jerusalem blocking out the sun with a curtain of darkness. Quickly torches and lanterns were lit. The air was thick with tension, and some wondered aloud if Messiah was about to return for His chosen people. For three hours the sacrifices continued.

At the time High Priest Caiaphas entered into the Holy Place to make supplication before the veil, an echoed cry that sounded like the voice of God traveled the length of the holy city. Grabbing a nearby pillar, the young priest braced himself. He felt as if he was about to be sick. Then the earthquake hit. It was strong enough to make the young man wonder if the temple was going to fall and crush him. Suddenly, several chief priests came running from the inner portion of the sanctuary. Their priestly garments were torn and some even cried “Ichabod” as they fled in terror. Stopping an elderly fleeing priest the young man asked, “What has happened?” The frightened man looked as if he had seen the walking dead. “It is torn! It is torn! The High Priest was making supplication before the Veil and it tore from the ceiling to the floor. Why has the Lord’s spirit departed us?” It was too much for the terrified old man. He started to weep, then continued to run with an invisible dread.

The young priest slumped to the floor against the pillar, holding his head in his hands. How could this be? For the first time since the Israelites return from captivity the sacrifices would not be completed on the Passover. The Veil was torn allowing anyone to view into the Most Holy Place. Why had God allowed this abomination? Or had the Lord caused this? The young man succumbed to the tears that had been building. Grabbing his garment, he violently tore it from top to bottom.

We have this hope as an anchor for our soul, that Jesus Christ, our High Priest, entered the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, on our behalf and He has become our High Priest forever. He entered the Most Holy Place once and for all, by His own blood, and obtained eternal redemption. Now we may serve the Living God with unblemished consciences. Let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Therefore, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the veil, that is His body, let us draw near to God with sincere heart and full assurance of faith.

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Each day we will provide a “daily question” to help you navigate your Lenten journey. This is your time to reflect on how God is moving through your life.

Knowing that you can approach Him boldly, how are you motivated to make God a part of your daily life?

Finished

When He had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” With that, he bowed His head and gave up His spirit.
Luke 23: 46 and John 19: 28 – 30

Death had waited and watched the Son. Several times, over the last few hours, it had attempted to snuff out His life. Confused, this creature of destruction simply stared with an odd mix of curiosity and revulsion.

Out of all the cruel tortures man had devised, crucifixion was Death’s favorite. The Romans knew how to bring a person to the brink of eternity and hold them as long as possible. Death fed off of this torment. In most cases of casualty, its work was quick. But the long drawn out process of scourging, beating, and the cross usually allowed Death to dance with it’s victim.

None had ever taken the punishment that this Son had received. Yet every time death moved in to suffocate Him, it was harshly repelled. The life force of the Son was unlike anything it had ever come across. So it crouched, obsessively watching its prey and waiting for a single moment in which to pounce and devour.

For three hours, the Son had moved His broken and bloodied back up and down the post of the cross. A victim of crucifixion was placed in such a way that he was forced to move his torso up and down to keep air in his lungs. If he stopped, his lungs would begin to fill. This would then cause the victim to drown in his own blood. The Romans placed a small footing under the sufferer to keep them in motion, thus delaying the end as long as possible. A small seat was placed with sadistic cleverness, giving the victim a sense of resting. But as the victim tried to sit he would simply slip off, sending shock waves of pain throughout the pierced nerves. Death smiled at the genius of this brutality.

A moment after the Son sipped of the wine-vinegar, He spoke. “Tetelestai!” Death cocked its head in uncertainty. This strange single word meant, “It is finished,” or “Paid in full.” Maybe this Son was finally going to die, for He now seemed to be speaking nonsense. The Son bowed His head. “Now!” growled Death, jumping for the throat of its sworn enemy. But as it came to clutch His neck, it was once again thrown to the earth directly below the cross. Consternation filled Death, who was now pinned to the earth and unable to look away from the Son’s eyes. Staring down at Death, the Son spoke His last words. “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.” Quietly, His spirit departed without the icy touch of Death. The Son made a decision to depart. A powerful roar of loss was loosed from Death and the earth shook with its fury. How could Death, self proclaimed tyrant of the Cosmos, not touch the Son?

Lord, to know that even death could not take You causes my heart to swell with faith. I ask You to make me as an ambassador of life. I want to reach the physically dying and those who are wasting away spiritually. I want abundant living waters to flow from me, and I desire true life to be a byproduct of my obedience. In a world dark with death, let Your light illuminate the darkness through my life.

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Each day we will provide a “daily question” to help you navigate your Lenten journey. This is your time to reflect on how God is moving through your life.

The value of His life was increased by the fact that He gave it away. What does the value of your life look like?