READ: ISAIAH 53:1-12; MATTHEW 26:27-28; 27:35-54; 2 CORINTHIANS 5:19, 21

Early I come to behold Your face,
Seeking still Your glorious grace,
Christ who died…holy…divine,
Love crucified.

Blessed be the Lord my God,
Blessed be, O, blessed be,
Blessed be the Lord!

In shame the sun did turn away,
As darkness in the silence reigned,
God in flesh afflicted then,
Cursed for all our sin.

Holy is the Lord my God,
Holy is, O, holy is,
Holy is the Lord!

Hail the light of breaking dawn,
Christ the King, the Risen One!
Wounded God who intercedes,
‘Tis Thy blood we plead.

Blessed be the Lord my God,
Blessed be, O, blessed be,
Blessed be the Lord!

As He bore in His body the curse for our sin, who can imagine the deep agony Jesus felt—hanging in the darkness those final hours? The cost of our sin to God is truly unfathomable, yet His love for us is greater still, for He gave Himself up to save us (John 3:16; Ephesians 5:25-27). As we reflect on both the glory and the sorrow of the cross, let’s pray for the courage to turn toward God when we feel forsaken, knowing that on the cross Jesus hung in that silent, empty space for us—so we never have to.

Once we’ve put our trust in Jesus, we can be certain that through any silence—or any suffering—we are not alone. God is present, and He is also at work, in every joy and every pain, to draw us into Himself (Romans 8:28-29). The cross stands as stark proof that God will walk through death, darkness, and despair to bring us near (Psalm 23:4). May our praises never cease for Christ our Sin-Bearer—for “God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). • G. Kam Congleton

• Consider taking a moment to picture Jesus on the cross. It is good and right to turn to Him in praise, and also in lament, honestly crying out to Him about anything that is troubling you. He is worthy to receive it all.

When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. Galatians 3:13 (NLT)