Here we are … It’s Good Friday. The worst and the best day on the Christian calendar. The worst, because Jesus was nailed to that bloody Cross and died. The best, because through His sacrifice you and I can be completely forgiven.

I say can, because it depends on us. If we put our trust in what Jesus did for us on that Cross, and live out our faith by turning away from our sin, then we have the free gift of a new and eternal life that He purchased for us through His death on that Cross. If we don’t, then we don’t.

It’s a very clear and simple message, but the thing that held me back from making the life-transforming, eternity-changing decision to follow Jesus was the knowledge of my own sin. Surely, given the way I’d lived my life up to that point, it couldn’t possibly qualify me for God’s forgiveness, let alone the free gift of eternal life.

God always knew that people like me would feel that way. So He made sure that these two verses were included in the Bible:

Romans 5:7,8 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (ESV)

Jesus didn’t go to the Cross despite our sin, but because of our sin. And He suffered and died for the likes of thee and me as a pre-emptory strike against our sin – a strike that demonstrated in the most unmistakable way the enormity of His love for a sinner like me; like you. No, we’re not worthy. But then, that’s the whole point. Grace.

That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.