The Cross and Prayer
The empathy of Christ is something that if properly understood ought to completely change our prayer life.
It is an astounding truth that the God who is life, chose to die. How could the very author of life on this planet come under the plague of death? Death is the result of sin, so to be subject to death is to be subject also to the cause of it, sin. I think that perhaps that is the most astounding part of his work on the cross. For some unknown amount of time he was still alive in body, but totally dead to God. There was a moment where his Father was his God and no longer Father. He was cut off from the life that was in God, and became as dead on the inside as the most evil of men. The darkness in the sky was nothing compared to the darkness that was actually felt in the Godhead. He did not withdraw or hurtle over death, but entered into it, more aware and more sensitive to it than any man ever. His affliction at being cut off from the presence of the Lord was far greater than the deepest dark night of the soul. Being the only one who fully knew the value of God, he was all the more devastated when the light was removed from him. I think that the empathy of Christ is far deeper than we think because of the cross. We were united with him in his death (Romans 6:5), and that unity cannot be in only one direction. He too was united with us, not just in part, but the whole of our being; sin and all. He knows the shame of my sin. It is clear simply from looking at that naked, bloodied, and bruised man hanging on that tree, he knew what shame was. It is not only that Jesus understands sin and death, but he experienced them. His empathy with the world is perfect, he united himself with us.
It is an astounding truth that the God who is life, chose to die. How could the very author of life on this planet come under the plague of death? Death is the result of sin, so to be subject to death is to be subject also to the cause of it, sin. I think that perhaps that is the most astounding part of his work on the cross. For some unknown amount of time he was still alive in body, but totally dead to God. There was a moment where his Father was his God and no longer Father. He was cut off from the life that was in God, and became as dead on the inside as the most evil of men. The darkness in the sky was nothing compared to the darkness that was actually felt in the Godhead. He did not withdraw or hurtle over death, but entered into it, more aware and more sensitive to it than any man ever. His affliction at being cut off from the presence of the Lord was far greater than the deepest dark night of the soul. Being the only one who fully knew the value of God, he was all the more devastated when the light was removed from him. I think that the empathy of Christ is far deeper than we think because of the cross. We were united with him in his death (Romans 6:5), and that unity cannot be in only one direction. He too was united with us, not just in part, but the whole of our being; sin and all. He knows the shame of my sin. It is clear simply from looking at that naked, bloodied, and bruised man hanging on that tree, he knew what shame was. It is not only that Jesus understands sin and death, but he experienced them. His empathy with the world is perfect, he united himself with us.
We draw back from God so often because we do not understand the fullness of his empathy. When tempted we do not run into his arms, but rather away from him in shame. We cover ourselves and run just like Adam and Eve. He knows not only our human weakness, but also sin itself. He who knew no sin became sin itself for us (2 Corinthians 5:21). We have absolutely nothing to run from, he already knows our sin and our weakness, he is not intimidated or put off by it. He knew the depths of our depravity before we discovered it. He knows all things, and therefore is incapable of learning. This empathy is the reason we can come to God at all.
Since we are united with Christ in his death we shall certainly be united with him in his resurrection. Though he became fully subject to the law of sin and death he had in him the “power of an indestructible life” (Hebrews 7:16). Though he came under death it was impossible for it to hold him. Though all of the wrath of God was poured out on him in all of his power, it was not sufficient to end that primal life. In being subject to sheol he triumphed over it. He lead captivity captive, making a public spectacle of it. As he triumphed over the grave he is seated in heavenly places at the right hand of God the Father. It is from this place of exaltation that he lives to make intercession for us forever. It is as one seated on the throne that he cries out, “do not destroy”. Not only is he seated at the right hand of the Father, but since we are united with him we too are seated in heavenly places. How this ought to change our prayer life! We approach not with earthly confidence, but through this new and living way that he has made for us. He restored for us what Satan had stolen, the right to reign with God. Our prayers ought not to be only supplications (though these are still valid, we are still subjects in his kingdom), but as we grow into the stature of a perfect man, rather the edicts of the princes of the land. We are the body of Christ, the King of Kings, how daring we ought to be in praying in his name therefore! As Noel Alexander said, “We can pray from earth to heaven, or we can pray from heaven to earth.”