Tonight is the eve of the most pivotal event of my faith. Yesterday, Good Friday, was the night when Jesus died for the sins of the world. And tomorrow is the day he was raised again, giving life to all those who would accept it.
I always reflect this time of year on what this really means. You know, what does it really mean? I try to make an effort to watch The Passion of the Christ every year, and every year I find myself ready to go back in time and defend Jesus against all His accusers. At the same time, I acknowledge that should that actually come to pass Jesus would look at me and ask me not to...not only because I, too, am one of His accusers, but also because had he not endured the horrible things I would want to prevent I would not have the Grace I experience now. As someone I love, I would never want Him to have to endure that but if He hadn't, I wouldn't have the chance to love Him. It's a paradox, I know, but however it happened I'm grateful it did. I cry every time I watch Mary hold His lifeless body and gaze right through me at the end of the movie. I am SO sorry that it's MY fault He had to die.
Yet it was our weaknesses he carried;
it was our sorrows that weighed him down.
And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God,
a punishment for his own sins!
Isaiah 53:4
Thank you Jesus for sacrificing yourself for me. Thank you for a future with You for all eternity. Thank you for acknowledging my sins and yet remembering them no more. God, thank you for doing the hardest thing known to human beings...watching your Son die a horrible death. And yet, You knew it was the only way to get me to You, and You loved me THAT much that You would willingly arrange it a thousand times over again. On my own, I'm not worthy of this Grace, this pardon for transgressions that should put me to death. But with You, I am the temple of the Holy Spirit, a co-heir to the Kingdom of Heaven...and it all centers on this weekend...this moment where the celebration and wonder of Christmas meets the perseverance and heartache and overwhelming blessing of Easter!
