After following the advice and suggestions of some of you, my peers, I have decided to make this devotional something that I have put together myself. Actually, its more from the heart of our Father so I really can not take any of the credit.

Last month, I decided to read the book of Colossians for my devotional and quiet time. I am not going to get into all of the historical information that surrounds the Epistle because I want to encourage you to dive into God's Word for yourself so that you may "shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Tim 2:15). But I will share with you the "vision" that God gave me late one night as I read Colossians chapter 2.

Though there are many deep and wonderful truths found throughout this small book, Colossians 2:13-15 to me, encapsulates the mystery of what is the gospel! As I sat and meditated upon these scriptures the Lord met me. I shut my eyes and there I was, in a different place, in a different realm, in the spirit. Below are the events that transpired in my meditation. Please note: I have NOT turned super and ultra pentecostal! Please, don't think that I have converted to some weird charismatic doctrine. I have not. In fact, I am more baptist now that I have ever been. However, below is something that I experienced that was so intense and so real, that after it was done- the few minutes that it was, I promised God that I would share it. Through it, God gave me a deeper understanding of the cross and gave me a visual illustration of those verses. I will start with the scriptures first, and I encourage you to let them soak into the very fiber of your being. Then I will write what occurred in my vision. It easily reads as a short story but bear in mind that this is not taken from a book or any other source,  like I said, it is strait from the Father's heart!

^{Colossians 2:13-15   13}And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;  ¹⁴Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;  ¹⁵And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

The Ticket

I can barely stand because I am so heavy with guilt and shame, but there I am, weighed over, torn, bruised and broken. My hair is unkempt, and there is dust on my face. An angry crowd of spectators is encircling me, and in my hand there is a ticket that’s been handed to me. On this ticket are inscribed my sins and all of the crimes that I have committed, and of course my price, my penalty- death!

I hang my head in shame as the crowd surrounds me. They are my accusers. They have seen me commit these atrocities. They have caught me in these very sins. They know of the evils that I have engaged in. I have been exposed and for that they laugh. They jeer. They begin to call out my sins in mocking voices:

"ADULTERER!"

"PORNOGRAPHER!"

"LIAR!"

"THEIF!"

"MURDERER!"

"DRUNK!"

"FORNICATOR!"

They know very well of my sins.

They kick dust at me, tossing small stones at my face. I shudder at them, and cower under the weight of their condemnation. They point their fingers and stare with scornful eyes. Their grimaces contort in satisfaction. I notice them slowly begin to close in on me. I know that they seek to satisfy the penalty for my crime soon. They tell me to lift my ticket, and as they roar I can feel their spit land on my face. I close my eyes shut and clench the fist that contains the ticket. My hand is shaking. I know that they seek for me to pay.

Their voices grow louder, and I can now feel their hot and bitter breath upon me. It stings as they continue in their pursuit against me. It is time now. I know that I cannot put it off any longer. I have sinned. I have done the crimes that are written upon this ticket and I must pay.

I shut my tear filled eyes and I lift my shaking hand out toward them. I expect a quick snatch or a rough tug of the ticket from my hand. Surprisingly instead, what I feel is a hand suddenly over mine. The very fist that contains my guilty ticket is now being held? I open my eyes and struggle to see past my stinging tears. Before me is a Man, quite different from the onlookers and accusers, and in His eyes is the deepest of compassion. I blink hard. I want to capture Him clearly to make sure that this is not some apparition before me, but the tenderness of His hand on mine is very real. All of a sudden, His hand slips off of mine. He seems to smile at me even though His lips have made no motion, and neither has He said a word. Then I see it. In the hand that He has drawn back to Himself is my ticket. My hands have been emptied!

I am so confused right now, as you can imagine. See, that is the ticket that says all those horrible things, like "liar", "thief" and "fornicator", and the Man before me is none of those things. That’s my guilty ticket that He’s holding. But, before I can protest, they who were once my accusers are now encircling Him. They begin to yell at Him and all the while He remains timid and calm, with His eyes still completely fixed on me.

Oh, the brokenness I feel when they spit on Him, and toss angry words and punches. I yell for them to stop. This man is not guilty. He has not committed a crime. Don’t they see that? I thrust my hands forth to lay hold of Him to get my ticket back but the crowd is too strong against me. Without warning, they start taking Him away. The Kind, Gentle, Timid, and very Innocent Man is being lead away by the multitude. "DEATH!" They scream.

He is still looking at me the whole time that the mass swarms and seeks to suffocate Him with the very threats that should belong to me. Yet His eyes never accuse. I am crying loudly now; my heart is aching like never before. I watch them drag Him up a hill willingly, and I can’t stop sobbing because I am the guilty one, you see. The Innocent Man is holding my ticket and He is about to pay its price for me.