And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. - John 17:3

Today is a special and yet humbling day. It's the day Christ set us free from sin and death and provided the only way back to a forgiven and restored relationship with God the Father. But the cost of that freedom was great. It literally cost Jesus everything to redeem us. Many people focus on the physical pain and suffering he faced such as the lashings and various forms of torture over many hours and then being crucified. These events were horrible but necessary to fulfill the prophecies of the old testament and complete the finished work of the cross. Many years ago the Holy Spirit revealed something to me that was profound and changed how I viewed the crucifixion of Jesus and its effects on my faith. What was revealed to me was that the physical suffering which was truly awful and unbearable to our understanding pales in comparison to the emotional and spiritual separation. Try to imagine always being with God forever without end. Now imagine for the very first time ever Jesus is separated from God in all manners where God chooses not to respond to his cries of anguish or even choose to communicate with him. This makes sense why Jesus cried out while on the cross "father why have you forsaken me".Reading those words spoken by Jesus cut right to the heart. To me, that is far worse than any physical suffering. From the outside, this appears to be unfair and downright cruel. But this was the only way our sins could be paid for completely and allow us the opportunity to receive new life. Jesus agonized in the garden while deep in prayer to the point of sweating blood because he knew that this was the only way we could be reconciled to God. I hope you take some time this weekend to think about how much he suffered on your behalf and know there is no greater love you can have or experience than this which is given freely to those who are willing to humble themselves and simply ask for forgiveness. And in return, you shall receive the greatest gift of all time and a new life filled with love, peace, and purpose. Glory be to God alone!