Verse of the Day
Matthew 27:50-51
And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, and the rocks split.
Quiet Prayer
Lord, I stand before the cross in wonder at what You accomplished there. You opened a way to the Father that I could never have made for myself. Thank You for tearing down every barrier between us. Help me never to take this access for granted, and teach me to approach You with both confidence and reverence. Amen.
Devotional Reflection
There is something deeply startling about this moment in Matthew 27:50-51. Jesus has just died, and the earth itself responds. But it is the detail about the temple curtain that should stop us.
This was not just any curtain. It was the massive veil separating the Holy of Holies from the rest of the temple, the place where God’s presence dwelt. Only the high priest could enter, and only once a year, with blood to offer for the sins of the people. That curtain represented everything that stood between God and humanity. It was a physical reminder that access to God was restricted, guarded, holy.
And then Jesus died. And God tore it in two from top to bottom.
The direction matters. This was not something done by human hands from below. It was an act of God from above. He ripped open the barrier Himself. What once required a priest, a ritual, a perfect sacrifice, and an appointed day was now wide open because of what Jesus accomplished on the cross.
We can read this passage and miss the weight of it because we live on this side of the cross. We have grown up hearing that we have access to God through Jesus. We pray directly. We come boldly to the throne of grace. But in that moment, this was a brand-new reality. The old system was finished. The separation was over. The way to God was open.
Think of it like a locked door you have spent your whole life standing outside. You know someone is on the other side. You have heard about them, been taught about them, maybe even knocked and hoped. But the door stays shut. Then suddenly, without warning, the door is flung open. Not cracked. Not unlocked for you to push. Flung wide by the one inside who has been waiting to meet you face to face.
That is what the cross did. That is what Matthew 27:50-51 captures. The moment Jesus gave up His spirit, everything changed. The barrier was destroyed. The separation ended. And now you have access to the Father not because of what you have done, but because of what Jesus did.
This is not just theological history. This is the reality you live in every single day. When you feel distant from God, it is not because the curtain is back up. When you feel unworthy to pray, it is not because access has been revoked. The veil is torn. It stays torn. Your access to God does not depend on your performance, your spiritual résumé, or how well you prayed yesterday.
You come to God because Jesus made the way. His sacrifice was enough. His blood opened the door. And that door does not close.
There is something both humbling and liberating about this truth. Humbling because you realize you contributed nothing to this access. You could not tear the curtain. You could not make yourself worthy. Liberating because it means your relationship with God does not rise and fall with your ability to hold it together. It rests on what Jesus has already finished.
The torn curtain also reminds you that God wanted this. He was not reluctant. He was not waiting for you to prove yourself before granting you access. He tore the veil Himself the moment Jesus completed the work. He wanted you to come near. He wanted the separation to end. He wanted relationship, not ritual.
So when you hesitate to pray because you feel like you have not earned it, remember Matthew 27:50-51. When shame whispers that you need to clean yourself up before approaching God, remember the curtain tore from top to bottom. When you wonder if God is really available to you in the middle of your mess, remember that He opened the way while you were still a sinner.
This is the gospel. This is what the cross accomplished. Not just forgiveness, though that would be enough. Not just salvation, though that is everything. But access. Real, daily, ongoing access to the presence of God.
The earth shook. The rocks split. The curtain tore. And you were invited in.
Today’s Practice
Take a moment today to pray, and as you do, pause to thank God that you have access to Him because of the cross. Let that truth settle in. You are not standing outside. You are not waiting for permission. The way is open.
