Isaiah 50:5-6
The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.  I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.

This great God with unlimited power, higher than all things, purposely limited Himself.  In the person of Jesus Chirst, God stepped into our world.  In humble obedience, He followed the script that had been written for Him.  He went forward to Jerusalem, to His suffering, to His cross.  He offered up His back to be beaten, His hair to be plucked, His face to be spit upon.  He stood exposed to the shame and mocking of a bunch of sinful people.  He endured the agony of the crucifixion in our place.

Perhaps these details show the greatness of God more than the descriptions of His majesty, His infinite nature, His position high above.  Because when we see Him this way, when we see Him at Calvary, we can know He chose all of that humiliation.  We can know He did it out of love for us.  And that contrast of infinite, unsearchable God and beaten, mangled, and hurting Jesus is a stark and convicting picture of what it takes to redeem mankind.  It shows the true cost of salvation.  So how can we not be humbled and grateful and stand in awe of all that He did?

Sin is costly, but love is sacrifice.  And because of Jesus, we can have a right relationship with God.  We can become brand-new.  We can be cleansed of unrighteousness.  We can walk in the light.  We can have hope and joy and peace.  We can live for all eternity.  We can exchange the mangled mess of our lives for the perfection of Jesus Christ.  We can trade in a sin-filled life for one of righteousness.  We can leave behind all that hurts and scars and damages us because of what Jesus was willing to endure.

What a great God we serve.  What an amazing love was demonstrated on the cross.  What an overwhelming truth to know we can be saved from our sins and given new life.  Truly none is greater than our God.  Truly He deserves all we can give Him.  Surely He is worthy of our love and praise and service in return.  So when we reflect on what it means that Jesus is our Savior, let’s not forget the cost.  Let’s not forget that there was a price to be paid so we could receive this free gift of salvation.  May those facts reveal His excellence to us in a clearer and more profound way.  And let’s allow that truth to cause us to exalt Him more and more.