What Have I Done

Denny Tilley shares today’s POWERFUL devo with us. This is sure to touch you. I know it did me. 

What have I done?  I can't forget the words of Psalm 141:4 which I have prayed earnestly from my heart so many times:

"Let not my heart be drawn to what is evil, to take part in wicked deeds with men who are evildoers"

.. and yet there I was.  Spitting on Him, scorning Him, laughing at Him as they punched Him.  There I was mocking Him as He hung on the cross, as if He were the the one who was a wicked evildoer even though, now that I think about it, no one could bring a charge against Him.

When Pilate, asked what he should do with Jesus, there I was yelling at the top of my voice, "Let Him be crucified!"  And for what purpose, so that a murder, a murder, could be released to us instead of the One whom I thought was our Messiah!

Oh, my God, what have I done?  I yelled, "Crucify Him"!! Why,  because He didn't give me what I wanted?  Because He didn't put an end to this Roman occupation?  Because He didn't appear to be anything like King David, because He didn't seem to care that we were being oppressed by Caesar?

And yet, I saw Him heal a man born blind.  I saw Him heal a woman with an issue of blood.  I was there when He healed blind Bartemaus.  I was there when He cleansed 10 lepers.  I was there when He cast out demons and I have heard the testimony of MANY others who were eyewitnesses of other miraculous works that He did.  And yet, I desired His crucifixion.

My heart is sinking, and aching within me.  I just remembered the words of the prophet Zechariah, "They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for Him as one grieves for a firstborn son (Zec. 12:10).

I now know that pain.  I have pierced the Holy One and the Just.  I have no hope, but that which He spoke, that He came to seek and to save those that were lost and, thanks be to God, that He said, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do."

So now, I hope for His Mercy.  I look forward the good news that He promised, that He has overcome the world.  I pray for His mercy, I seek His forgiveness and I believe in His word that my sins can be forgiven.

I now stand at the foot of His cross, asking for His forgiveness, determined to tell others that He was willing to forgive a sinner like me, and that by believing in His word, and trusting in His grace, they too can be forgiven.

Make it a Sobering Saturday !God is good…