"Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." - Luke 23:46 By Danielle Dietrich Those who know me, know I am generally an emotional person. I often tell people that "any emotion above an 8, I'm in tears." Happy, sad, angry, overwhelmed, it doesn't matter, I'm crying. Often the thought of Christ's death brings me to tears. The depths of pain, injustice, and betrayal o...

It is finished. - John 19:30 By Amanda Koser This is the last thing Jesus said before he died. While some of the other authors of the Gospels say that Jesus gave a loud cry and gave up His spirit, this specific phrase is only found in the Gospel of John. Why is that? Each of the Gospel writers had a specific message or theme they wanted to communicate. I believe th...

"I thirst." - John 19:28 By Kassidy Reynolds How often I have suddenly exclaimed, "I'm thirsty!" Life demands water, and without water, we cannot live. But I have never been so thirsty to the same point of desperation as a teenage girl suffering from a terrible car accident whose one request was, "Please, can I just have a drink of water?" One result of major blood...

"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" - Matthew 27:46 By Jonathan Suggs When you hear, "Luke I am your father", you probably think of Star Wars. When you hear, "December 7, 1941 a date which will live in infamy", you probably think of Pearl Harbor. Likewise, when you hear, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?", you might think of Jesus on the cross; and...

"Woman, behold your son." - John 19:26 By Addison Hamrick As we reflect on the gravity and significance of the crucifixion of Christ our minds immediately go towards the future reality that Christ won for all of us: eternal life with him. And if you are like me, you might fall into the thinking that Christ is only concerned with the eternal. It is a great comfort t...

"Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." Luke 23:34 By Isaac Lipe How can Jesus love me with all my sin? This question comes up frequently in my personal walk with the Lord, and I am sure it comes up in the lives of many others. Although we have the eternal hope of the resurrection of Christ, we so easily lose sight of hope in moments and only fixate...

Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise. - Luke 23:43 By Addison Hamrick Do you remember a time in your life when everything clicked and you saw Jesus for who he truly is? Whenever this happens, we begin to see and understand life completely differently. For some of us it happens over time, but for others it can happen in an instant. But the result...

How many times have you heard or sung this song so far this year? Maybe dozens by now? (Maybe you think, "Too many".) And how many of those times were you struck with the weight of its message? Maybe, like me, not many. The popularity of this song, mixed with its confusing lyrics ("Thou Rod of Jesse"?), can easily hide its rich depth. But let's look again at this song for ...

A man named Phillip Brooks penned these words in 1868 just three years after the end of the Civil War. He was inspired by a trip he had taken to Israel at the end of 1865 in which he had the great privilege of riding to Bethlehem on Christmas Eve and taking part in a worship service that lasted until the Christmas sun broke over the horizon. Philip Brooks was an esteemed p...

How would you respond if you witnessed the birth of Christ? Such an occurrence would elicit a range of reactions from all believers, but one treasured Christmas carol highlights one of these reactions. O Holy Night sings of the precious night when the son of God was born into this world, eventually to suffer the wrath of God. The carol contains three verses, each emphasizi...