Jesus Dies
Mental Prayer Meditation Helps
Presence of God
Grace I Ask: Dear Lord, give me the courage to follow you crucified.
Mental Picture: Everything is very quiet now... in a loud voice Christ has given His spirit to His Father, has bowed His head and died. A wild rumor is running through the crowd: "The veil in the temple has ripped from top to bottom." Now the sun goes dark... the earth shakes... the mob looks up at the man it has killed. In the cold, reddish half-light, His body gleams like one open wound. The people are afraid; "His blood be upon us and upon our children," they had said. They run away in terror.
Now there is silence again. He is alone save for His Mother standing erect, like a statue carved by grief... His friend John, a strong man, crying... and the woman Magdalen, heaped in misery at His feet.
The silence is broken by the cracking of bones... the centurion and his soldiers are making sure that the thieves will die. They come to Christ, look up, touch His feet... "This one is dead." The centurion lifts his spear... blood and water gush from Christ's heart. "This was indeed the Son of God!"
My Personal Application: I look at Christ upon the cross. This was what He thought of sin... this was what He thought of hell... this was His love for me. I look at Him, my king... and I call to Him... "I put you there! Let me take you down!" And in the depths of my soul I hear His answer: "I will not come down; you must come up to me."
If I am to faithfully follow Christ, I must follow Him to Calvary. I have chosen to serve a King who is crucified, a King whose flag is the cross.
Thought for Today: "God forbid that I should glory in anything but the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ."
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Adapted from Mental Prayer, Challenge to the Lay Apostle
by The Queen's Work,(© 1958)
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