The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe
"Personal"
On the cross of Calvary, God gave to the Lord Jesus Christ that which we deserve so that in the new birth He could give to us that which Christ deserves.
"He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him" (II Corinthians 5:21).
"He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" (Romans 8:32).
The grace that comes so freely to us cost God more than we will ever know. Calvary was personal. A Father who had loved His Son from everlasting poured out the fury of His wrath on the One "made to be sin." The Bible provides little detail regarding the extremity of the Lord Jesus being "smitten of God" on the cross (Isaiah 53:4). How could it? How does One who had known only perfect, eternal, and infinite love from His Father become the object of the Father's wrath? What does "made to be sin" even mean? We will never know. The matter abides forevermore as the most personal of matters in the execution of wrath by the Father, and the experience of wrath by the Son.
"My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" (Matthew 27:46).
We can know the personal nature of the grace purchased for us through the suffering, forsakenness, and death of the Lord Jesus. We must. Salvation and relationship with God provides the most personal reality in our lives. Through the indwelling Holy Spirit, our Father draws nearer to us than all others when we believe. Of course, we "walk by faith, not by sight" in our present existence (II Corinthians 5:7). This does not negate, however, that the One for whom we were made and redeemed dwells "closer than a brother" (Proverbs 18:24). Indeed, only God is with us always. To the degree He forsook the Lord Jesus on the cross precisely correlates with the degree to which He abides near to us in our spirit. We may not see, hear, or touch Him at present. His presence nevertheless constitutes the greatest and most personal reality in our lives because His forsaking of Christ at Calvary constituted the greatest and most personal of all sacrifices.
The next time God seems far away, a sacred opportunity of faith lies before us, perhaps best expressed in prayer...
"Heavenly Father, I presently feel as did the Psalmist, "Why standest Thou afar off, o Lord?" By Your Word, however, I know that You do not stand far off from me. You dwell within me through the Holy Spirit's abiding presence. Such grace comes to me because You did stand far away from Your beloved Son and my beloved Savior on the cross of Calvary. You smote Him with wrath and forsakenness there, that You might birth my heart as Your eternal dwelling place. Regardless of what I feel, therefore, I will remember and affirm that the promise, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee" comes to me by way of the greatest sorrow ever known - "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" To the degree the Lord Jesus was forsaken, I will never be forsaken. You are here, Father, nearer than any other, because You were not there when Your Son cried out into the darkness of the most sorrowful loneliness ever known."
Salvation in Christ fills our hearts with the freest gift ever given - the presence of God - purchased by the highest cost ever remitted - the wrath of God suffered by our Lord. Yes, God gave to the Lord Jesus the forsakenness we deserve so that He might give us us the favor our Savior deserves. Such is the grace of God, the most personal of gifts, purchased by the most personal of sacrifices.
"For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit."
(I Peter 3:18)
Weekly Memory Verse
Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as unto the Lord.
(Colossians 323).
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