Friday, March 21, 2008

O Come and Mourn with Me

And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, "Father, INTO YOUR HANDS I COMMIT MY SPIRIT." Having said this, He breathed His last. Luke 23:46

As Jesus rode into town on Palm Sunday, he knew what awaited Him near the end of the week. He knew that He had come to Earth to do His Father’s will, and that He must give His life in order to save ours.

God takes sin very seriously. It is a big deal. So big that God sacrificed His only son in order to pay for our sins once and for all. As a result of our sin, Jesus went to the cross and died in our place. We should have paid the price for our own sin. Instead, Jesus took our sin on Himself and became the sacrificial lamb.

My sin, your sin caused Jesus to die. He was crucified for us. That should cause us to mourn. Our hard hearts of sin were His Pilate and Judas. That should cause us to shed tears. On this Good Friday, meditate on your sin that sent Jesus to the cross and mourn with me, for Jesus, our Lord, is crucified.

O Come and Mourn with Me
Frederick W. Faber

O come and mourn with me awhile;
And tarry here the cross beside;
O come, together let us mourn;
Jesus, our Lord, is crucified.

Have we no tears to shed for Him,
While soldiers scoff and foes deride?
Ah! look how patiently He hangs;
Jesus, our Lord, is crucified.

How fast His hands and feet are nailed;
His blessed tongue with thirst is tied,
His failing eyes are blind with blood:
Jesus, our Lord, is crucified.

Seven times He spoke, seven words of love;
And all three hours His silence cried
For mercy on the souls of men;
Jesus, our Lord, is crucified.

Come, let us stand beneath the cross;
So may the blood from out His side
Fall gently on us drop by drop;
Jesus, our Lord, is crucified.

O break, O break, hard heart of mine!
Thy weak self-love and guilty pride
His Pilate and His Judas were:
Jesus, our Lord, is crucified.

A broken heart, a fount of tears,
Ask, and they will not be denied;
A broken heart love’s cradle is:
Jesus, our Lord, is crucified.

O love of God! O sin of man!
In this dread act Your strength is tried;
And victory remains with love;
For Thou our Lord, art crucified!

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