Many people ask, "What is true love?" The answer is simple: True love is when you care enough about another person that you would lay down your life and die for them. Those of you who truly love your spouse and children would unselfishly lay your life on the line to save them from death. Many people, in emergency rooms with their loved ones have prayed: "Please God, take me instead of them."

However, nothing is more sacred and shows more love than what our Creator did for each and every one of us. So let's honor God and take a look at what he REALLY did for us by allowing human beings to torture and crucify him:

• First of all -- the thorny crown that was placed upon our Creator's head had thorns 1 to 6 inches thick! It was jammed down on his head causing blood to stream down his face, digging deep into his skull.

• Our Creator was stripped naked, his hands were tied above him and his flesh was beaten with a leather whip that had pieces of steel, balls of lead and sharp bones attached. As the sharp bones and metal in the whip tore away the flesh; muscles were sliced wide open. The arteries were hit, spurting blood. Most people would die from this cruel beating alone!

• As our Creator's flesh hung in ribbons he is ordered to carry a cross weighing over 100 pounds, 650 yards to the place of execution. All along the path people are spitting on him, pulling hair out of his beard by the roots and busting him in the face with their fists. The rough wood from the cross gouged into his torn back as they threw his body on it. By now, he is already dehydrated and it was a miracle that he was still living.

• Now for the worst part. Rusty, germ-laden spikes were driven amongst the carpal bones of the wrists instead of in the palms. If the spikes would have been hammered into the palms of the hands (like some artists have depicted), the weight of his body would have ripped away the flesh between his fingers. (In Rome, they considered the wrist to be part of the hand.) The spikes almost always caused gangrene and tetanus to the victims.

• This was the most agonizing death a man could face. (And remember, Jesus faced it alone, since all his disciples had became frightened and abandonded him.) Our Creator had to support himself in order to breathe. The flaming pain caused by the spikes hitting the median nerve in the wrists exploded up his arms, into his brain and down his spine.

• The spike burning through the nerves between the metatarsal bones of the feet jerks his body erect. Then the leg muscles convulse and drive his body downward -- actually beating our Creator against the cross.

• Air is sucked in but cannot be exhaled until the build-up of carbon dioxide stimulates breathing to relieve the cramps. Exhaustion, shock, dehydration and paralysis destroy the victim. In addition, the heart is barely able to pump the thick blood as each of his billions of cells die -- one at a time! (Note: Remember, Jesus wouldn't accept vinegar to ease his pain, even when it was placed on his lips.)

  However, prior to our Creator's physical death, and in all his agony and pain, he is still in full control of his mind. With nothing but PURE LOVE in his heart and compassion for us -- our Creator looks up into heaven and prays:
  "Forgive them Father for they know not what they do."

  Yes -- our Creator loves us! We are his children. Isn't it time you loved him too?
  I don't think it's too much to ask for what he physically and mentally suffered for each and every one of us!

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