by Lauren Jackson

One day when I was younger and I realized I was lost,
God handed me a roadmap that led me to the cross. 
At first when I got there, all I saw was a piece of wood. 
I looked from every angle, but missed the meaning no matter where I stood.
Yet, something about it captivated me that I didn’t understand. 
I couldn’t put together how this wood fit into God’s plan.
“It was here,” God said to me, “that my love for you was shown.
It was here that I experienced a pain so great no man on Earth has known. 
It was here that the ultimate sacrifice was made to free you from your sin. 
It was here that I had to die so that you could live again. 
It was here that I forgave you for everything you’ve done. 
It was here that your debt was paid to me by the blood of my only son. 
I took upon God’s anger, the wrath you’ve never felt. 
I took upon so much pain for you. I sacrificed myself. 
It was here that an exchange—my life for yours—was made. 
I took upon all of your punishment. 
On this cross, I paid the debt that you never could have paid.”
He said, “My dear, I love you and I wanted you to see
that through death and pain and love and grace you have been set free.”
In all those years proceeding, I never understood
that on this wood, God showed me that he loves me more than anyone ever could. 

Lauren Jackson is a proud military wife and mother of three. She was an Intelligence Analyst until the military lifestyle ended her career. Lauren recently started freelance writing and was featured on Scary Mommy, Filter Free Parents and The Military Times. She also dabbles in poetry. Check out her new blog Camo & Cookies about military and mom life.

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