ALL
I saw Him smiling with the sun shining brightly behind him. He had a gentle laugh and eyes that looked at you, full of compassion, making contact and genuinely interested. I had never seen anyone that looks so at peace with the world around Him and yet He harbored a terrible dark secret during His short life. It is not that He kept if from His friends or family to be deceitful but because the knowledge of the truth would have caused such great pain and distress.
He never wants to have worry or fear overtake the thoughts of those around Him. He seeks to be the calm in the storm, the light in the darkness, the joy in despair. He wants to hold us tight for comfort and for counsel. It is always a challenge for those in His company to feel that they matter, that they are worth the energy, worth the sacrifice. Clearly if they were not there would have been no reason for such a great price to be paid. Certainly a death sentence would have been off the table if there had been any other way.
So as the time approached, His secret despair was slowly unveiled and all the world would see. There would be only one perfect way to make it all matter, to make a way, to pay for the things occurring in the black hearts of corrupt men. But He did not reject those around Him though they rejected Him. He did not curse man even though they mocked Him. He refused to be anything other than Himself even though they told Him He couldn't! He took it all, quietly, knowing this one thing would be the worst. It would take every single bit of His being, unto death, to complete. He took it all, nails, thorns, spit, spikes, weight, pain, hate. All!
So huge was this moment in the world that the sky darkened, midday. A curtain in the center of a temple tore top to bottom. The earth shook. He cried out that it was done, finished. He had taken it all. ALL.
Silence, shock, uncertainty, unbelief that they had just seen this man take it all. ALL. He didn't beg to avoid it, He didn't bargain to get out of it. He just died! He would be taken to a tomb in the rock, laid out and that was it, dead. Gone. What was He doing, He shoulda, coulda, woulda been able to do so many things to get out of this, but now He is just gone.
But He knew there was one more thing. The last page of the story was the best one. HE knew He would see everyone again and for eternity, those who would follow Him. He knew that in taking it ALL there was no more sacrifice or payment due. Those who tried to do the right thing but couldn't, those who wanted to pay the price but couldn't, those who felt unworthy but couldn't change, no worries. He made a way, took care of it, all they had to do was follow. And so we are safe, protected, covered, paid in full, bought for eternity, given life, a promise that is kept unlike one we would make.
When that sinks in, you realize that no matter what or who you are, no matter what, He wants you always and forever. As you think about that you look up and there is that beautiful face, smiling, eyes looking straight at you full of compassion and joy. He is so happy to see you, know you, walk with you. He loves you so much that He took it ALL and He is risen, here with you now and waiting to see you, hug you so tight, welcome you home once and for all! jlg (C) 2016
He never wants to have worry or fear overtake the thoughts of those around Him. He seeks to be the calm in the storm, the light in the darkness, the joy in despair. He wants to hold us tight for comfort and for counsel. It is always a challenge for those in His company to feel that they matter, that they are worth the energy, worth the sacrifice. Clearly if they were not there would have been no reason for such a great price to be paid. Certainly a death sentence would have been off the table if there had been any other way.
So as the time approached, His secret despair was slowly unveiled and all the world would see. There would be only one perfect way to make it all matter, to make a way, to pay for the things occurring in the black hearts of corrupt men. But He did not reject those around Him though they rejected Him. He did not curse man even though they mocked Him. He refused to be anything other than Himself even though they told Him He couldn't! He took it all, quietly, knowing this one thing would be the worst. It would take every single bit of His being, unto death, to complete. He took it all, nails, thorns, spit, spikes, weight, pain, hate. All!
So huge was this moment in the world that the sky darkened, midday. A curtain in the center of a temple tore top to bottom. The earth shook. He cried out that it was done, finished. He had taken it all. ALL.
Silence, shock, uncertainty, unbelief that they had just seen this man take it all. ALL. He didn't beg to avoid it, He didn't bargain to get out of it. He just died! He would be taken to a tomb in the rock, laid out and that was it, dead. Gone. What was He doing, He shoulda, coulda, woulda been able to do so many things to get out of this, but now He is just gone.
But He knew there was one more thing. The last page of the story was the best one. HE knew He would see everyone again and for eternity, those who would follow Him. He knew that in taking it ALL there was no more sacrifice or payment due. Those who tried to do the right thing but couldn't, those who wanted to pay the price but couldn't, those who felt unworthy but couldn't change, no worries. He made a way, took care of it, all they had to do was follow. And so we are safe, protected, covered, paid in full, bought for eternity, given life, a promise that is kept unlike one we would make.
When that sinks in, you realize that no matter what or who you are, no matter what, He wants you always and forever. As you think about that you look up and there is that beautiful face, smiling, eyes looking straight at you full of compassion and joy. He is so happy to see you, know you, walk with you. He loves you so much that He took it ALL and He is risen, here with you now and waiting to see you, hug you so tight, welcome you home once and for all! jlg (C) 2016
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