We are unable to celebrate the joy of what comes with Easter without recognizing what happened today. God is a God of light. He can’t tolerate darkness, and today was the day he allowed all darkness to fall on the shoulders of His son, Jesus. He, who was completely blameless and sinless took on all sin, and experienced the full wrath of God. On the cross, Jesus was cut off from his Father, standing where we should be.
In God’s awesome mercy, He sends His own Son into the darkness, so that we may live in the light! How amazing is this gift!? How undeserving are we to receive this act of Love, mercy, grace, sacrifice… And so very little do we ever give ourselves to Christ as God did for us. The sacrifice God made for us was something that was a PART of Himself… His own CHILD! He willed for His son to cover the one thing He hated most- sin, allowing us to come into relationship with Him. It’s a choice that we have, whether to live in light or darkness. The price has already been paid.
As I think and reflect on my own life, and as I try to plan and prepare myself for the future: career paths, school, new relationships, dreams and aspirations, what I’d like to accomplish and make for myself… is Jesus in the equation? Sacrifice is hard for me. I want to be comfortable, I want to be successful, healthy, experience life to the fullest, have a healthy relationship, but I am realizing, especially as I reflect on the sacrifice that was made for me today, that none of these things matter without Jesus. There isn’t anything I could give that could ever compare to the sacrifice of Christ. The closest I could come is my own life. It’s a day-to-day battle, choosing Christ, choosing His will, His Life, and leaving my own behind.
I am allowing this to sink in today, reflecting on who I’ve been and who I want to be.
God gave his most prized possession up two thousand years ago for us. It’s a sacrifice that can never be repaid, can never be earned, and by believing in Jesus, we are blessed to receive life in eternity with God Himself.
