Easter Devotional 2026

A Prayer at the Cross

“Lord Jesus, Thank You for receiving me when I came to You.

You paid a heavy price for my salvation, my healing, and my restoration.

I honor Your sacrifice and receive the life You freely give.

Amen.”

The Price That Was Paid

     The Cross Was Not an Accident. Seven hundred years before the birth of Jesus Christ, a shepherd king named David sat somewhere out under the open sky of Israel and wrote words that sounded like the cry of a dying man.

“My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”

— Psalm 22:1

In that same Psalm David describes pierced hands and feet. He speaks of men dividing garments and casting lots. He describes the agony of a body stretched out in suffering. Roman crucifixion had not even been invented yet. Yet Psalm 22 reads like someone standing at the foot of Calvary.

     Then on a dark afternoon outside Jerusalem, those ancient words came to life when Jesus Christ hung upon the cross. Friends, the cross was not some accident of history. It was the price of redemption.

Psalm 22 — The Suffering Savior

     Picture the scene. The Roman soldiers had already done their work. Before Jesus was nailed to the wood, He was scourged. Roman executioners used a whip braided with bone and metal. Every strike tore flesh from the back.

     Isaiah saw this moment long before it ever happened. “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and with His stripes we are healed.” — Isaiah 53:5

     Every lash carried a purpose. Not punishment for His sin. But healing for ours. Healing for broken bodies, healing for wounded hearts, healing for shattered lives. Isaiah also wrote: “Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.” — Isaiah 53:4 Jesus carried everything the curse of sin ever placed upon humanity. Pain. Disease. Fear. Shame. Grief. He carried it all to the cross.

Kneeling at the Front of the Cross

     Now imagine standing there. You kneel before the cross. The Son of God looks down through pain and still speaks mercy. “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” — Luke 23:34 Even in agony, Jesus is still forgiving.

     Scripture tells us how we receive what He paid for: “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” — Romans 10:9 (Amplified) And on the day of Pentecost, the Apostle  Peter preached: "Repent ye therefore, and be baptized  in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission  of your sins..." - Acts 2:38

     The Father gave us free will. We didn’t have to choose Him. But when we do, heaven rejoices. And when we receive Christ, something miraculous happens. “And God raised us up together with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” — Ephesians 2:6 Think about that for a moment. Through Christ we are spiritually seated in the authority of heaven itself.

Walk Behind the Cross

     Now walk around to the back of the cross. Look at His back. The whip tore through flesh and muscle. Those wounds are almost too terrible to look at. But in those wounds we see something extraordinary. Healing. “By His stripes we are healed.” — Isaiah 53:5

  • Healing of body.
  • Healing of heart.
  • Healing of memory.
  • Healing of soul.

Jesus bore suffering so restoration could enter the world.

Angels and the Ministry of Heaven

     During His earthly life even Jesus Himself was ministered to by angels. Jesus commanded authority over the Heavenly beings, they ministered unto Him. According  to Ephesians  2:6 we have that same authority to call on Heaven for help too! We have it, because Jesus paid for it all at the cross! 

     After His temptation in the wilderness, Scripture tells us: “Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.” — Matthew 4:11 In the garden before the crucifixion: “An angel from heaven appeared to Him and strengthened Him.” — Luke 22:43 And on the morning of the resurrection it was angels who rolled away the stone and announced the victory. “He is not here: for He is risen.”

— Matthew 28:6

Because Jesus conquered sin and death, we now have access to heaven’s help.

  • Mercy.
  • Forgiveness.
  • Healing.
  • The presence of God.
  • Ministering Angels

All of it flows from the cross.

A Story of Healing — Anita Moorjani

     There is a remarkable modern story that echoes this truth. Anita Moorjani was suffering from terminal lymphoma. By 2006 her body had shut down and doctors believed she had only hours to live. Medical records show she fell into a deep coma as her organs began failing. During that coma she later described experiencing something extraordinary. She said she became aware of a realm filled with overwhelming peace and light. She encountered what she described as a presence of pure love and light and also saw her deceased father.

     In that moment she understood something profound—that she was completely loved and that fear had played a role in the illness that had consumed her life. She said she was given a choice. She could remain in that realm of peace—or return. If she returned, she was told her body would heal.

     When Anita regained consciousness, something happened that astonished doctors. Within days tumors began shrinking. Within weeks the cancer that had filled her body had disappeared.¹ Her oncologists documented the case because the recovery happened far faster than medical science could explain.

     Now every Christian may interpret such experiences through the lens of Scripture—but one truth shines clearly through stories like this: Healing and life flow from the authority of heaven. And Jesus opened the door to heaven for humanity through the cross.

Climb to the Top of the Cross

     Now lift your eyes upward. A crown of thorns presses into His brow. Blood runs down His face. And Jesus cries out the ancient words of Psalm 22.

“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

— Matthew 27:46

     In that moment Christ carries the weight of the world’s sin. He experiences separation so we never have to. The curse meets its end in the body of the Son of God.

Psalm 23 — The Shepherd in the Valley

After the suffering of Psalm 22 comes the quiet assurance of Psalm 23. “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.” — Psalm 23:1,4 Jesus walked through the valley of death itself. But the Shepherd never stays in the valley.

Psalm 24 — The Risen King

     Then comes the triumph. “Lift up your heads, O gates and the King of glory shall come in.” — Psalm 24:7 The stone is rolled away. The tomb is empty. Christ rises as the conquering King over sin, death, and the grave.

My Own Story of Healing

     I can testify to the power of Christ in my own life. Over the past few years I have written about my journey through physical struggle and recovery. There were times when walking itself was painful. But through prayer, faith, and the mercy of God, healing has been unfolding.

     As I write this today — April 1, 2026 — my body and my feet are nearly completely healed. That healing did not happen overnight. It came through prayer. Through seasons of fasting. Through trusting Christ day by day.

     And God has been opening doors in other ways too. Right now I have three new career opportunities in front of me that promise a healthier work and life balance—something that will benefit both my physical health and my spiritual walk with the Lord. This is an answer to prayers.

     At 47 years old, I can honestly say my life has gone through a deep process of redemption in Jesus Christ. And if He has done that for me, He can do it for you. Redemption  is within your grasp. 

The Gift Jesus Gives

     Jesus explained His mission in simple words: “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” — John 10:10 Because Jesus paid the price on the cross, we have restoration:

  • Life restored.
  • Strength restored.
  • Hope restored.

Isaiah wrote: “Those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.” — Isaiah 40:31

We Are His Temple

    When we receive Christ, the Spirit of God dwells within us. “Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you?” — 1 Corinthians 6:19 The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead now lives in every believer.

Easter Invitation

This Easter, don’t just remember the cross.

Stand before it.

Walk behind it.

Look up to it.

See the price that was paid.

Then lift your eyes to the empty tomb.

Because Christ is risen.

And because He lives, healing, redemption, and new life are possible for you too.

 

References & Notes

Anita Moorjani, Dying to Be Me (Hay House, 2012). Her near-death experience and recovery from lymphoma have been discussed in medical and research contexts including physicians involved in her treatment and research interest groups such as the Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS).