I got to thinking the other evening during my personal devotions about what the cross means. I have been guilty of just seeing "the cross" and not what the cross really meant to Jesus, and therefore to all humanity. The Pain of the Cross: Betrayed by one of the inner circle... Denied three times by another in the inner circle... Spit on.... Slapped and mocked... Beard pulled out... Crown of thorns driven into His head... Beaten beyond recognition by a whip (flesh torn out at each lash, yanked across the flesh -- not just the skin)... Ridiculed by participants, taunted to see if He could tell who was doing the taunting... Murderer chosen to be released over Him... Sentenced to death by crucifixion... Made to carry the cross beam of His cross, until exhaustion forced soldiers to make another carry it for Him... Nailed to the cross through His hands and feet... Mocked while on the cross... Took the sins of the world on Himself... Forsaken by God! It is finished! Death...Dark