“I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.”
It’s a very big day. For shoppers, at least.
Black Friday. Sales. Deals. Drastic cuts. A shopping day to make one’s heart race.
All is well. (Indeed.)
Meanwhile, there is this:
Good Friday. The crucifixion. The substitution. The redemption. The superlative act of gracious, undeserved, breathtaking love.
These words I have spoken to thousands of people regarding the Creator’s love: You take God’s breath away.
You. Take. God’s. Breath. Away.
The Creator of the universe – who set the stars in place, who suspended the planets in the spheres, who ordered the species, who painted the landscape with unimaginable life – that God, that Creator, that infinite source of power, majesty, and grace – – – well, He finds us each (and oh, how can this possibly be?) breathtaking.
Indeed He does.
Utterly. Thoroughly. Completely.
What manner of love is this that He should love such as I?
And yet He does.
So then it should come as no surprise (but oh, it does – comes as a surprise that I cannot fathom or comprehend or grasp in my tiny hands) that on this day, more than 2000 years ago, He would demonstrate this endless, boundless, ceaseless love on the cross.
But He did.
Willing death.
Voluntary suffering.
Immeasurable sacrifice.
For those He finds breathtaking.
For me. For you. For us all.
We take God’s breath away. Once and for all at the cross. Each and every day in his love.
“At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. Then at three o’clock Jesus called out with a loud voice:
Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachtham?
Then Jesus uttered another loud cry and breathed his last. And the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.” (from Mark’s gospel)
You take God’s breath away. That is how He loves – on that day, on this day, and on every other day that will ever be.
All is well. Indeed.
“He breathed his last…”
[All content copyright Crystal Kirgiss.]
Breathe 
Crystal when you said some of these things at Planet wisdom. I honestly didn’t know how to respond, but then I realized that what you were saying was completely true. Jesus used you to open my eyes.
Leila – I’m so glad you were at Planet Wisdom. My heart aches a little bit each time we finish PW because I am sad to leave all of the people I work with and all of the new friends I’ve made. But another part of me is full of joy and excitement and love because of what a wonderful time I’ve had and because of how much I’m reminded about God’s love and power and grace. I truly believe that God loves us in ways we will never be able to fully understand. But I also believe that He will help us at least begin to grasp and comprehend how deep and how wide and how high and how long his love is. It’s quite something isn’t it? To know that we are, each one of us, loved like that? It truly takes my breath away…so like you, I will be overwhelmed and amazed and filled by God’s love. Your comment made me smile with joy – having our eyes opened to truth is always a wondrous thing. Peace to you, new friend!