Day 29

It was through His wounds we are healed and made whole again.

‘From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land.’ (Matthew 27:45)

After all the shouts of triumph on Palm Sunday, Jesus was betrayed by one disciple, denied by another and forsaken by the rest. As far as His friends were concerned, He died alone. Four people attended Hisfuneral: Joseph of Arimathea (who gave the tomb), Nicodemus (who brought seventy five pounds of a mixture of myrrh and aloes to anoint the body), Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and John.

Scripture tells us the sky went dark for three hours, as though all heaven was mourning. For those who had known and loved Him there was deep mourning and sadness that night, along with the bitterness of regret and disillusionment felt by those who had deserted Him. The worst possible scenario had come to pass; the dream was over, the Messiah was dead.

What they hadn’t realized was that this had been a scripted event. The script was not written in the hall of the Sanhedrin Council, the Governor’s mansion of Pontius Pilate or in the palace of King Herod. The script had been written in heaven. ‘What shall I say? “Father, save me from this hour?” No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour’ (John 12:27). This was mission accomplished! ‘For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God’ (1 Peter 3:18).

Take time in the secret place with Christ today to thank Him for reconciling you to God through His cross.