Looking to Good Friday and Easter

"Everlasting Creator-Father,
I have destroyed myself,
my nature is defiled,
the powers of my soul are degraded;
I am vile, miserable, strengthless,
but my hope is in Thee.
If ever I am saved it will be by goodness undeserved and astonishing,
not by mercy alone but by abundant mercy,
not by grace but by exceeding riches of grace...

Thou hast devised means
to rescue me from sin's perdition,
to restore me to happiness, honor, safety...
I rejoice that [Christ] failed not, nor was discouraged,
but accomplished the work Thou gavest Him to do;
and said on the cross, 'It is finished."

I look to a present and personal interest in Christ and say,
Surely He has borne my griefs, carried my sorrows,
won my peace, healed my soul."

(From The Valley of Vision)


    "Surely he has borne our griefs
        and carried our sorrows;
    yet we esteemed him stricken,
        smitten by God, and afflicted.
    But he was pierced for our transgressions;
        he was crushed for our iniquities;
    upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
        and with his wounds we are healed.
    All we like sheep have gone astray;
        we have turned—every one—to his own way;
    and the LORD has laid on him
        the iniquity of us all."

Isaiah 53:4-6 ESV