The Incomparable Sufferings of Christ

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? 
Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? 
O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, 
and by night, but I find no rest  (Ps 22:1-2)

A few weeks ago, I ran across the following prayer by John Piper in his book Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ. (pg 72) As I re-read it last night, I was struck by two things (at least). One was being in awe of the shear magnitude of Jesus' suffering and dying on my behalf. I don't think any of us really comprehend the depth of our sin what it cost Jesus to pay for that sin. The second was an internal question as to how I can even read God's Word or pray or even write this blog post and not weep with joy over the immensity of the gift and grace and forgiveness I have been given in Christ?

Father, what can we say? We feel utterly unworthy in
the face of Christ’s unspeakable sufferings. We are
sorry. It was our sin that brought this to pass. It was
we who struck him and spit on him and mocked him.
O Father, we are so sorry. We bow ourselves to the dirt
and shut the mouths of our small, dark, petty, sinful
souls. O Father, touch us with fresh faith that we might
believe the incredible. The very pain of Christ that
makes us despair is our salvation. Open our fearful
hearts to receive the Gospel. Waken dead parts of our
hearts that cannot feel what must be felt—that we are
loved with the deepest, strongest, purest love in the
universe. Oh, grant us to have the power to comprehend
with all the saints the height and depth and length
and breadth of the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge,
and may we be filled with all the fullness of God.
Fight for us, O God, that we not drift numb and blind
and foolish into vain and empty excitements. Life is
too short, too precious, too painful to waste on
worldly bubbles that burst. Heaven is too great, hell is
too horrible, eternity is too long that we should putter
around on the porch of eternity. O God, open our eyes
to the vastness of the sufferings of Christ and what they
mean for sin and holiness and hope and heaven. We
fear our bent to trifling. Make us awake to the weight
of glory—the glory of Christ’s incomparable sufferings.
In his great and wonderful name, amen.

I now send forth this post with a deep sense of its many defects; but with an earnest prayer that it may do some good. (Ryle, J. C. (2011-06-16). Old Paths (Kindle Location 116). Heritage Bible Fellowship. Kindle Edition. Note: I have added to my tag-line at the end. I read this at the end of an intro to a book by JC Ryle and felt it captures exactly what I think each time I submit a post.)


To God Alone be the Glory