Jesus says: “I have been there where you are – I know what it’s like to bear the burdens, that separation from God brings in your inner self: a separation from your Father God, who is love, who is life itself – I know what that does to you. I know what it is like to feel the consequences that separation from God brings in human relationships. I know what it’s like to be battered by the worlds lies, battered by the worlds ugliness and hardness, battered by the actions a world separated from God bring. I know how it is to sweat blood out of shear terror, from the weight of grief and sorrow that separation from God brings. I went through all of that, to come along side you – because you had no hope of getting out of this by yourself – no hope of enjoying intimacy with me, a fellowship overflowing with everlasting love and life.

When I died on the cross that day, I reached out my arms to all dying sinners (not just the two on either side) – I got down on the level of every human being, who is suffering and dying, who is gasping for life (hanging on the cross, you are gasping for breath) I took the guilt (I didn’t blame anyone else), and I exchanged my life with theirs.

On the cross, I opened my arms forever in vulnerability to you – to a dying people and a dying world, and offered that ‘today, you can be with me in paradise’.”