Day 109: It Should Have Been Me

Today’s Reading:
Luke 23, Psalm 22, Proverbs 18

Today’s Scripture: Luke 23:18 (NLT)
“Then a mighty roar rose from the crowd, and with one voice they shouted, ‘Kill him, and release Barabbas to us!’”

Devotional:

Today is Good Friday.
But what’s good about it?

We read in Luke 23 about a moment that should shake us to our core. Jesus—the spotless Lamb of God—is standing trial. Innocent. Pure. Merciful. And what does the crowd shout? “Kill Him! Give us Barabbas!”

Barabbas was a criminal. A rebel. A murderer.
Jesus was the Messiah. The Son of God. The Healer. The Savior.
And yet the guilty one walked free… while the sinless one was crucified.

Sound unfair?
It is. And that’s the Gospel.

Jesus took Barabbas’ place.
And He took mine.
And He took yours.

This is what love looks like—not sentimental, not soft, but sacrificial. Jesus was beaten, mocked, rejected, and hung on a cross… not because He was weak, but because He was willing.

It should have been me.
That’s what hits hardest today. I was the one guilty. You were the one guilty.
But He took our place. And in exchange, we walk free.

Psalm 22 prophetically echoes the crucifixion in haunting detail: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” That’s the depth of what Jesus experienced—utter abandonment—so that you and I would never have to be separated from God again.

So on this Good Friday, sit with the weight of it. Don’t rush past the cross.
Let it wreck you… and then let it redeem you.

Reflection Questions:
1. Have you let the reality of Jesus taking your place settle into your soul?

2. What would it look like today to truly respond to the cross—not just with emotion, but with surrender?

Prayer:
Jesus,
You took my place.
You carried my cross.
You bore my shame.
And You did it willingly.

I don’t deserve that kind of love, but You gave it anyway.
So today, I pause. I remember. I respond.
Not with religion—but with surrender.
Forgive me for every time I’ve forgotten the cost of my freedom.
Thank You for loving me to death… literally.
Now help me live like someone who’s been rescued.

In Your name I pray, Amen.

Digging Deeper

Luke 23 lays bare the cruelty of humanity and the compassion of Christ. The crowds chose a killer over a King. The leaders feared a movement more than they feared God. And in the middle of it all, Jesus never backed down.

Psalm 22 shows us that Jesus’ suffering was not random—it was prophetic. From pierced hands and feet to divided garments, this wasn’t a tragedy… it was a plan of redemption unfolding in real time.

Proverbs 18 reminds us that “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” The One who hung on a cross now holds the name we run to. Salvation, safety, security—it’s all found in Him.

Good Friday isn’t good because of what happened to Jesus.
It’s good because of what He did for us.