Eternal Shepherd

It’s that time of year again. The day we especially remember when Jesus chose to pay our sin penalty. I remind myself that if I had been the only person in all humanity of the ages who had sinned, Jesus would still have chosen to lay down on that cross, to feel the spikes in His wrists, the spear in His side, the thorns cruelly pressed into his brow, the face of His Father turned away from Him. He would have done all that for me, just as He has done all of that for every human ever born. What unfathomable love.

When Jesus hung on that cross, enduring the pain and shame, He had my name on His mind, and your name. He knew the plans He had for us. He said in Jeremiah 1:5, I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Just think, God knew when we would be born, and every moment we would sin, but in His perfect love, He made a plan to save us anyway. God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:5 NLT). The King James Version reads, He predestined us.

Predestined us? Does this mean He chooses who will receive salvation and who will not? Of course not! When Jesus died on that cross, it was for every human being who had been born and who would ever be born. He did not predetermine who would be saved; He predetermined free choice for every person ever born. I had to choose whether or not to receive Jesus’ gift of forgiveness and salvation through His death on the cross, just as you do, too. It’s an awe-filled moment when we pause to reflect on what God planned for us even before we were born. He has always known all about you and me, and yet He has always loved us anyway, no matter our imperfections and blatant sin. He has loved us and still loves us without measure.

Good Friday, the day Jesus went to the cross is sobering to our senses, meditating on the price of His love for us. Of course, the story of His sin payment doesn’t end on the cross. All praises to the Father for His plan to save us from eternal punishment of sin. All praises to the Son, Jesus, for willingly receiving the death penalty for our sins. All praises to the Holy Spirit for coming to reside within every child of God, for He is our comforter and teacher Who guides us along life’s journey.

Thank you, Jesus, for Friday, and thank you that — Sunday is coming! Hallelujah! Jesus died, rose again, and lives in Heaven — our eternal Shepherd. He is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through Him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf (Hebrews 7:25 NLT).