O Lord Jesus, Lamb of God

The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" John 1:29

I am grateful for beautiful hymns like this one that remind us just how steep a price was paid for our sin. And I am more grateful for Jesus, who obediently did the will of His Father in going to the cross on my behalf.

Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Philippians 2:8

Jesus bore a heavy load and suffered anguish and ridicule in order that I may be reconciled to God. Jesus, fully God, was also fully human. He had a physical body that endured extreme torment and beating even before being hung on the cross.

Now the men who were holding Jesus in custody were mocking Him and beating Him. Luke 22:63

Jesus, being fully God, could have stopped this at any time. He didn't. He obeyed the will of His Father.

Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Philippians 2:8

The people in the crowd that day did not acknowledge that Pilate was offering up to them the King of Kings - God made flesh. The people had determined that Jesus was to be crucified. Pilate himself could find no fault in Jesus, but the the rabble-rousing crowd had made up their mind.

Therefore Pilate said to Him, "So You are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice." Pilate said to Him, "What is truth?" And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews and said to them, "I find no guilt in Him. But you have a custom that I release someone for you at the Passover; do you wish then that I release for you the King of the Jews?" So they cried out again, saying, "Not this Man, but Barabbas." Now Barabbas was a robber. John 18:37-40

The people would rather have a convicted robber released back into their midst than Jesus, the King of the Jews! As we read the story now, it seems so ridiculous. Jesus could have easily traded places with Barabbas; He was God. Instead, He obeyed.

Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Philippians 2:8

Jesus went to the cross to bear my sin. Jesus wasn't paying for His own sin - He had none. He was paying for mine, and yours. He was put on the cross between two convicted criminals, and died just like they did. He died not to pay for His crime, but ours.

Now it was the day of preparation for the Passover; it was about the sixth hour And he said to the Jews, "Behold, your King!" So they cried out, "Away with Him, away with Him, crucify Him!" Pilate said to them, "Shall I crucify your King?" The chief priests answered, "We have no king but Caesar." So he then handed Him over to them to be crucified. They took Jesus, therefore, and He went out, bearing His own cross, to the place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha. There they crucified Him, and with Him two other men, one on either side, and Jesus in between. Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It was written, "JESUS THE NAZARENE, THE KING OF THE JEWS." John 19:14-19

Jesus could have come down off that cross. He could have stopped this "madness" of the people at any time. But He obeyed.

Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Philippians 2:8

Jesus' death on the cross means that I am free from death. My body of sin is healed by the wounds that He suffered on that tree. He died so that I might live; He was wounded and I am healed.

While being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. I Peter 2:23-24

His death on the cross made the way for us to be washed clean of sin. His blood that flowed from that tree washes the sin away and makes us clean and whole.

If we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. I John 1:7

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I John 1:9

Thank you Lord Jesus, for Your obedience to God. For humbling Yourself, even to the point of death on a cross!

Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Philippians 2:8

O Lord Jesus, Lamb of God
Words by R. Michael Cullinan

O Lord Jesus, Lamb of God,
Bearing such a heavy load;
Pain and suffering was Your fate—
Anguish, ridicule and hate.

Crown of thorns and staff of spite,
Must you mock our Sovereign’s might?
Know you not whom Pilate brings?
Jesus Christ, the King of kings!

Road of sorrow, lead the way
To redeeming love today.
Let me see my Savior’s face;
Let me taste this gift of grace.

Tree of anguish, bear my sin;
Heart of Jesus, let me in.
O Lord, may Your wounds make whole
Body, spirit and my soul.

Cross of triumph lifted high;
Christ becomes the victory:
Priest and sacrifice today,
Washing all our guilt away.

40 Days of Prayer: Day 10

For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.
II Chronicles 16:9

Dear God,

I thank You for this truth in Your word. I thank You that You never take Your eyes off the earth and that You are our support and our stronghold. Lord Jesus, I pray that my heart may be completely Yours; that I will not be swayed away from Your will by the whims of this sinful planet. God, I ask that You protect me from temptation and do not allow the devil to entice me with his schemes. Draw me to Yourself, keep me in Your word, and give me the strength and will to keep my eyes on You, my hope and my salvation.

In Your name,
Amen.

40 Days of Prayer: Day 9

Have you entered the storehouses of the snow, or have you seen the storehouses of the hail? Job 38:22

Dear God of the Universe,

As the snow comes down from the heavens, and blows and drifts outside my window, I am reminded of Your majesty in creation. You are God who opens the storehouses of snow to send it down to earth, to cause it to rain, to make the sun shine. I thank and praise You for Your power over the Universe. I praise You for the snow and I praise You for the sunshine that we will see eventually! I thank you that You are in control, and that the changes in the weather remind me of Your power and might.

In Your Name,
Amen.

40 Days of Prayer: Day 8

"Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?" And He said to him, "'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.' This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.'" Matthew 22:36-39

Dear Lord and Heavenly Father,

I thank You that we can love because You first loved us. I pray that You would show us what it means to love You with all of our heart, soul and mind. I know that living in obedience to You and Your word shows my love for You and that when I live in that way my love for others will also be obvious. Lord, write Your word on my heart. Shine through me that others will see Your love for them through my words and actions toward them. Let it be clear in my life that I love my neighbors as myself, and that I am only able to do this because of Your love for me.

In Your Name,
Amen.

40 Days of Prayer: Day 7

Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD. Psalm 34:11

Dear Lord,

Today I pray for all those who are raising children. Lord, give the parents strength and wisdom as they bring up these children. Show them how to point their children to You that You would be glorified through their lives of obedience and faithfulness. Lord, give us generations of faithfulness in the raising of these children, that there would be many stories to tell of Your provision and guidance. I pray that parents would be bold in their teaching their children the fear of the Lord. I pray that parents would seek Your face and Your word rather than the advice of the world. I pray that You would give the parents patience and understanding and that You would teach us how to love others as You love us.

In Your Name,
Amen.

40 Days of Prayer: Day 6

As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth. Job 19:25

Dear God,

How I thank and praise You that my Redeemer lives! As I think about these forty days leading up to Easter, I am overwhelmed with gratitude that we this is not a time of memorializing Jesus because He is dead. Rather, this is a time to commemorate what He did for us in order to reconcile us to You. I praise You that in the strength of Your might You raised Him from the dead; that in Your satisfaction with His work completed You brought Him back to life and then seated Him at Your right hand.

I thank You that I can live with hope and assurance because my Redeemer lives!

In Your Name,
Amen.

40 Days of Prayer: Day 5

Depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. Psalm 34:14

Dear Lord,

I pray that I would be a woman who seeks peace and pursues it in every situation. Help me to be a peacekeeper in my home, at work, in my family and in the world at large. Enable me to see where I am not pursuing peace so I can change my path, and change me from someone who tends to be argumentative and challenging to one who is agreeable and peaceful. Please take away any thoughts, behaviors and ideas that do not foster peace and renew my mind and my spirit according to Your will.

In Your Name,
Amen.