Scandal of Grace

Last night Caleb stood up on the bed and chanted, "TGIF. TGIF."

It's been a long week.  In fact, it's been a long  nearly three weeks, and I know that the next 50 days will probably drag by, too...

except April will be here, and then May, and I'll be asking myself in August where in the world the summer went.

Time is relative based on what you're doing, what you're going through.

And so today, as I drove down the road, I weeped as Tenth Avenue North's song Worn played.  As Scandal of Grace played, by United.  " Grace, what have you done?  Murdered for me on the cross.  Accused in abscence of wrong. My sin washed away in Your blood.  Too much to make sense of it all.  I know that Your love breaks my fall. A scandal of grace, You died in my place, so my soul will live."

And then sat in my driveway as I listened to My Redeemer Lives.

Today is Good Friday.  Thankful that it is Friday, but it's dark.  As I picture images from The Passion Of Christ, I  know that it was not pretty, far from it.  I don't know that I would have been able to have watched...

When I was younger, I disliked songs about the blood of Jesus and the cross.  I thought it too heavy.  I know now it was because of my guilt, my sin, sin that maybe I didn't even mean to commit.  His blood, spilled out, for me...

"Oh to be like You, Give all I have just to know You.  Jesus there's noone besides You, forever the hope in my heart."

No hope on this Friday... darkness covered the earth and I couldn't help but think this morning as I got out of the car... how different. 

This morning, the sun was out and the sky was blue and the birds were chirping... but surely in that darkness, there was silence... except for His voice.  And perhaps those mourning?  Surely the mockers had been quieted.  The sound of the nails being driven in.. wouldn't that have quieted them all? 

And He hung His head and said, "It is finished." The veil in the temple tore in two, the separation of God and mankind no more. 

So that I can sit  in my car, weeping, and saying, "Thank You, Jesus, and forgive me, Lord,"  and approach Him.

A scandal of grace, this Good Friday. 

And all of the hope of my heart... I know Sunday will be here, resurrection Sunday, not just on Sunday but resurrection and renewal of my life and an eventual resurrection for all of eternity, where I can rejoice forever in this scandal of grace.

He was bruised.  Pierced.  Punished.  He, who had no sin, took on sin.  He wore it like a coat and carried it up a hill called Golgatha, the Skull, so that I could be blameless.

Oh, to be like You... to give all I have just to know You...

This scandal of grace, grace that is sufficient for all the sins of the world.