My friend’s young son received a small cut on his head that required stitches. Several attempts to numb the wounded area failed, so they decided to go ahead and sew up the cut with the father holding his son. The boy cried out, “Daddy, you can’t let them do this to me!”

But he did. The father felt so bad that he himself had to lie down afterwards. But he let them do that to his son because he knew that it was necessary.

My friend now understands a little bit better how God must have felt when he let men do to his Son what they did. It was a painful—but necessary—ordeal.

“…without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” (Heb.9:22).

“Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.” (Heb.9:27-28).