When I see Him, bruised and broken,

hanging on that cruel tree,

my heart breaks for I’m the reason –

Jesus bore that pain for me.

I’m the one who loves my own way.

I’m the one who selfishly

Seeks to satisfy my longings

With no thought of pleasing Him.

But my Savior saw beyond the

sinfulness of my sick soul,

saw the one that He created,

and He died to make me whole.

Isaiah 53:⁵ But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. ⁶ All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

 Love was compressed for all history in that lonely figure on the cross, who said that he could call down angels at any moment on a rescue mission, but chose not to – because of us. At Calvary, God accepted his own unbreakable terms of justice.

Phillips Brooks

Photo – Courtesy of Pexel