Thinking Passion Week thoughts. I've always KNOWN that Jesus' death on the cross was substitutionary, that He was taking my place there. But it never occurred to me until this week that all of the suffering that He experienced leading up to the cross was also substitutionary.
The crown of thorns and the robe were cruelty and mockery, of course. They were ironic, of course, because He truly was a King. But perhaps when He was being mocked as a fake king, He was standing in the place of my phony monarchy and the little kingdom I try to build with myself on the throne. His Real Royalty taking the place of my fake royalty. And now, by His grace, I get to participate in His REAL Kingdom.