Daily Devotional
The Cross: Warning: For Mature Audiences Only

April 9, 2020

Ponder This

Tongue cannot tell, throat cannot sing, hand cannot paint, the tragedy that was called Calvary and the suffering of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Romans used crucifixion to inspire stark terror. Anybody who saw crucifixion said, “Romans, whatever you tell me to do, I’ll do it. Just don’t crucify me.” Our word excruciating comes from the Latin word excruciatus, which means “torment greatly,” or, in some translations, “out of the crucified.” When the executioners nailed the victim’s hand to the cross, they would separate the metacarpals and place the nail, not in the palm, but in the wrist. They would try to hit the median nerve to send pain up the body and into the torso. Jesus would have been crucified with his hands at a 90-degree angle, but when the body falls, it goes down to a 65-degree angle. The weight of the body comes down on the chest and leaves the crucified person gasping for breath. In order to breathe, he must lift himself up, but as he does he must push down on the nails that are in his feet. So he is between gasping for breath and searing with pain.

Practice This

On the cross, Jesus took Holy God with one hand, sinful man with the other hand, and by the blood of His cross reconciled God to man. He took us by the hand and presented us to God the Father. He said, “Father, these are Mine. I purchase them with My blood.” Have you taken His hand?

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