How Could I?

“Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:” Acts 2:23

I have often read things in the Bible and wondered, “How could they have done that?” How could Adam and Eve have disobeyed God in the garden? How could the Israelites have worshipped the golden calf after crossing the Red Sea? How could Peer have denied Jesus three times? And then, when I consider the crucifixion of Jesus and the people’s rejection of Him, even after hearing His words and seeing the miracles He performed, I wonder how could they have cried, “Crucify Him!”? Even those who were learned in the Scriptures denied His deity!

Then I think of the here and now. As I examine my own life, I find I am guilty of the same actions. I know who He is, and I know what He desires of me, yet many times I fail to obey. I cannot blame it on my humanity as if I had no control over it because frankly, I do. I’ve made decisions that do not honor God. In my own way, there have even been times when I have chosen to worship an idol over God. It may not have been in the form of a golden calf, but if it replaced God in my heart, even if only for a few minutes, it was an idol.

When I have kept silent when others have spoken out against God, I have denied Him. When I have refused an opportunity to share the gospel due to my “discomfort,” I have denied Him. When I have not taken a stand for my faith, I have denied Him.

And then I have to wonder, have I also cried “Crucify Him!” as well when I embrace sin by rationalizing it with excuses? Things that are abhorred by God are now readily accepted by the world. With whom do I stand? Each time I make excuses and allowances for the things that God’s Word tells me He hates, it is like a hammer blow to the nails that were driven into the hands and feet of Jesus. Yes, in my own way, I have also cried out, “Crucify Him!”

The enormity of my sin threatens to engulf me, and I am overcome with sorrow.

Yet, despite all of my sin, God loves me! He loves me with an everlasting love! (Jeremiah 31:3) Jeremiah 1:5 tells me that God knew me before I was born. “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee…” God knew how flawed I would be, how many times I would disappoint Him, how many times I would fail, yet He still loved me. In fact, He loved me so much He chose to send His Son to die for me, so I could have a personal relationship with Him!

Jesus left the glory of heaven for one purpose – to become the Saviour of the world. That means me and you. He chose to shed His own precious blood for us, to suffer great agony, and to die alone on the cross because we needed to be forgiven of our sins in order to have a relationship with God. Romans 5:8 states, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

There are not enough words to express my gratitude for all that Jesus has done for me even though I will have an eternity to try to do so. Through His sacrifice on the cross, I have been forgiven and promised eternal life in heaven with God. I cannot imagine standing before Him, seeing those nail-scarred hands and feet, and knowing my part in it, but I will finally understand the depth of His love for me. And despite all my past sins, I will stand before God blameless forever because of Jesus. The Bible records that God said, “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.” (Hebrews 8:12)

I am forgiven. I am made whole. I am a child of God for all eternity.

All because of Jesus.

I hear the Savior say,
“Thy strength indeed is small;
Child of weakness, watch and pray,
Find in Me thine all in all.”

Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.

(from “Jesus Paid It All” by Elvina M. Hall)

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:13

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There is nothing we can do to merit God’s love. He loves us simply because He chooses to do so. What amazing love!