It is Good Friday, when Christians remember the trial, execution and death of Jesus. One of the most heavily attested and recorded events in history, it probably had the most wide influence of any single event in history as well.
But here, I don’t ask you to necessarily believe it if you are inclined not to believe. However, I do ask that you consider what would have inspired such a story from such a bunch of back-water yahoos 2000 years ago.
The story is that God became man, not to punish but to rescue. The God/man Jesus did miracles and loved, and loved. The God/man came knowing the evil of humanity, in order to redeem all humans from sin. The God/man then took the punishment and took sin and death with Him to the grave, rising and leaving them behind, powerless, like empty shells.
There are profound truths here, not the stuff of simple fantasy. How many broken men and women do we see in the ER’s of the world? How many grieving and sorry, addicted and lonely, miserable and unable to forgive themselves for their own sins or loss. How many self-inflicted cuts, overdoses, gunshots have we seen, as men and women do what?
As men and women try put to death all their pain.
And thus, Good Friday. This story, of love deciding to die for the beloved, makes sense to anyone who has ever cared deeply for lover or parent, friend or child. But that the dying would kill all the suffering? That’s unprecedented.
I wonder how many of the ills of the patients in our ER’s could be fixed by letting their own sins and pains, fears and miseries by nailed to the cross with Christ, then left in the grave on Easter morning?
This was no story for simpletons; this was truth in advance of anything then, and anything now.
Let all believers give thanks, and consider the depth and power and meaning and paradoxical love of this dark day. And let all unbelievers be blessed, and at least see it for a story far more amazing and rich than any other.
Christus crux est mea lux
(The cross of Christ is my light)
God bless you in whatever you do, and wherever you are today.
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I liked this so much I posted it on my blog giving you full credit
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if so just email me and Ill take it out
Be Blessed
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