Mark 15:25-30,33-34
“It was the third hour when they crucified him. 26 The written notice of the charge against him read: KING OF THE JEWS. 27 They crucified two robbers with him, one on his right and one on his left. 29 Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “So, You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, 30 come down from the cross and save yourself!”
33 “At the sixth- hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. 34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice. “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”- which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

These tell us the final hours leading up to Jesus’s death on the cross, and many other scriptures tell us of the terrible beating he received, he was whipped until flesh hung on him, so bruised and battered he could hardly be recognized, his beard was plucked out, and a crown of thorns placed on His head. His disciples denied they even knew him. One friend even betrayed him with a kiss. He was made to carry His cross all the while weak, bleeding, and in horrible pain. Once at the crucifixion sight his hands and feet were nailed with huge spikes to the cross, each spike 6 to 8 inches long, driven into his wrists which caused the tendons to tear and break, forcing Jesus to use his back muscles to lift himself. Because his feet were nailed together, it forced Jesus to support himself on a single nail that impaled his feet.

Jesus would have had to alternate between lifting with his back muscles and his feet just to breathe. The pain must have been excruciating. Eventually, his side was pierced and water poured out. His body had given all the blood it had. He endured all of this for three hours. Imagine if you can the scene, all the while his mother watched.

We Christian’s like to wear our crosses to show our belief in the death and resurrection of Jesus. They are always perfectly straight, and some very ornate. I have a necklace I wear that the cross on it is crooked. I am wearing it right now. People always look at it and say:
“Your cross is crooked, what happened to it?” I just smile and say I know. I guess many would not wear it, but I love it. The cross Jesus died on was not perfectly cut. I am sure it was uneven, and probably had knots which only further agitated our Lord’s wounds. It came from a tree growing nearby.

The pain and anguish the Lord suffered while on that cross was ugly, beyond what we can imagine. Hour by hour he was bleeding out until every drop was gone. He did all this for me, a sinner, without hope, damned and headed for hell. But that blood he shed has cleansed me from all my sin, and now I am seen by the Father through the blood of Jesus, clean.

So, I wear my crooked cross and am reminded of the ugliness of the cross that Jesus died on in my place. I remember the pain and suffering that He endured so that I might be saved and have eternal life.
His death was not pretty, but the cross and Jesus were perfect. His death on it accomplished the final act Jesus had to do to make a way for us. Death holds no victory now and has lost its sting, because of that Old Rugged Cross and the Lamb that was slain.

Hallelujah and praises to Him who alone is worthy. Jesus, Jesus, Jesus is his name!