It Wasn't the Nails

“They walked up a hill outside the city. Jesus carried the cross on his back. Jesus had never done anything wrong but they were going to kill him the way criminals were killed. They nailed Jesus to the cross. “Father, forgive them” Jesus gasped “They dont understand what they're doing.”

 
“You say you’ve come to rescue us!” people shouted, “but you cant even rescue yourself!”
But they were wrong. Jesus could have rescued himself. A legion of angels would have flown to his side if he’d called. 

“If you were really the son of God, you could just climb down off that cross” they said. And of course they were right. Jesus could have just climbed down. Actually, he could have said a word and made it all stop. Like when he healed that little girl, stilled the storm and fed 5,000 people.

But Jesus stayed on the cross.

You see, they didn't understand. It wasnt the nails that kept Jesus there.

It was love.

-The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally-Lloyd Jones