With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”

Mark 15:37-39 (NIV)

“With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.” In some ways, this statement sounds nearly laughable.
Jesus is God in the flesh. He is the author of Life Himself. He is One and the same with the One who breathed the breath of life into the first man, Adam, and who has given everyone since Adam life and breath.

And this One, who created life for all of heaven and earth, hangs in His flesh upon a Roman torture device, and now breathes His last. Perhaps we do not often enough ponder this unthinkable thing. The only One who has power over death actually walked through death Himself. And He does it so that we can have life – so that we who deserve nothing but death can have eternal life with Him.

We have been pondering all Lent the idea of wisdom from God, and this crucifixion event exemplifies God’s wisdom compared to our wisdom so well. Man’s wisdom would never kill the Son of God. Man’s wisdom would never defeat death forever by sending an innocent man to die. Man’s wisdom would never have sought victory through defeat.

But then again, man’s wisdom would not have been capable of saving the world. Man’s wisdom always fails. But thanks be to God that His wisdom, although it may appear foolish, is the wisdom that prevails, and that governs and rules all things. God’s wisdom sent the author of life to die, and thereby gives life and breath to those who are dead in sin – like you and me.

Today, we give thanks to God that His wisdom governs the world, instead of ours.

Prayer

Thank You, Lord, that Your foolishness is wiser than my wisdom, and that Your weakness is stronger than my strength.

Daily Reading: Mark 15:1-39

– Contributed by Pastor Jarod Koenig