Jesus asks, "Do you want me to save you?"

Jesus and I stand before God and the weight of all the guilt of sin is upon me. I have NOTHING at all to offer to God to atone for my sins, there is NOT a single thing of WORTH that I could give Him. I stand there and as I'm prepared to be judged guilty, as I'm prepared to admit my worthlessness and accept my eternal and everlasting separation from my Creator- Jesus stops me.

Jesus takes me by the upper arms, His fingers tightening on my flesh ever so slightly as He peers deeply into my eyes with a compassionate gaze like no other has ever possessed, and He says, 'No.' He says and shakes His head gently, continuing. "You don't have to die the eternal death. You don't have to remain separated from the Heavenly Father. I can save you. Do  you want me to save you? Do you?"

Do I want to be saved? Do I want to be united to my Heavenly Father once more? Do I want to live life eternal? I nod slowly and stammer, "But I…I'm not worthy…I'm guilty, I did it, I'm a sinner, such an awful sinner." 

Pulling me into Him, Jesus embraces me gently and whispers into my ear, "You are worth everything to me. I know you've sinned, I know you sin. I know you are guilty, but let me do this for you. Let me take your sins- all of them as mine, please. Let me have your guilt, give it all to me, I want to do this for You. I was born to do this for You, I love you."

My heart breaks for the love, such love that I don't deserve that is being offered to me. Jesus wants to pay the price for me. Jesus wants to take my place, Jesus is begging me to take my place! How can He love me so much when I've done so much against all He stands for!? As I stand there in a complete turmoil of emotion, He holds me tighter.

"Please," He entreats me. "Let me do what you cannot do. Let me save you. I know your righteousness is like filthy rags, I know this. I know the depths of your darkness, let me be the light for you."

 I pull back slightly in protest, "But I'm awful! What if you do this and I keep sinning?! I'm so weak!"

Now Jesus pulls back, holding me at arm's length, looking at me once again with love so clearly etched in His gaze. "You are weak, I am strong. All I ask is for you to take up this cross I'm going to die upon, take it up every day and let me save you every day. Every single day seek me, find me, follow me, remember what I am doing for you and remember it always. Can you do that?"

Tears streaming down my face in spite of my trying to hold them back, I nod and He pulls me to Him once more, all the love He has for me poured out in that embrace. After several moments He gently releases me and turns to the Father God and stands right in front of me.

"I'll die for her, let me die for her. Let me take all her punishment, let me take the eternal separation, let me take all her guilt upon me, just….save her eternally…please, Father, save her." And the Heavenly Father nods, agreeing to the sacrifice, agreeing to the substitute for me, for my death. He agrees to let His only begotten Son die for me, taking on all my sins. 

The relief on Jesus' face as He turns to me and smiles is so vivid, the love, the happiness. He really wants to save me-- a horrible, horrible sinner.  As I try to choke out the words thank you, my gratitude beyond comprehension, I watch as He is led towards the cross where He has offered to die in my place.

I should be on that cross! I should be dying! But He's going there for me! FOR ME!

*******

 Rom 8:1  There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Rom 6:7  For he that is dead is freed from sin. 

'Now our sinful humanity has been judged completely because it was judged in the sinless humanity of the Lord Jesus. In Him, holy humanity has won its victory. Whatever judgment should come upon the body, soul and spirit of sinners has been poured upon Him. He is our representative. By FAITH we are joined to Him. His death is reckoned as OUR death, and His judgment as OUR judgment. Our spirit, soul and body have altogether been judged and penalized in Him. It would not be any different had we been punished in person. “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8.1). This is what He has accomplished for us and such is now our standing before God. “For he who has died is freed from sin” (Rom. 6.7 ). Positionally we ALREADY have died in the Lord Jesus; it only awaits the Holy Spirit to translate this fact into our experience. The cross is where the sinner—spirit, soul and body—is altogether judged. It is through the death and resurrection of the Lord that the Holy Spirit of God is able to impart God’s nature to us. THE CROSS BEARS THE SINNER'S JUDGMENT, PROCLAIMS THE SINNER'S WORTHLESSNESS, CRUCIFIES THE SINNER, AND RELEASES THE LIFE OF THE LORD JESUS. Henceforth anyone who accepts the cross shall be born anew by the Holy Spirit and receive the life of the Lord Jesus. ' From The Spiritual Man by Watchman Nee Volume 1 Pt 1 - 4 - Salvation Pg 60,61

Luk 9:23  And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 

If we would follow JESUS, truly follow JESUS we have to LIVE JESUS DAILY.

Seriously, to deny ourselves is to proclaim Jesus. We TAKE UP HIS CROSS DAILY and that means each and every single day we recognize that upon the CROSS our Savior died IN OUR PLACE.

All in HIS LOVE! Now and forever!