As a Christian, I proclaim myself that first. Sure, I’m an American, and Iowan, a conservative in most modes of thought, and certainly and husband and father. But, the Almighty is my first focus and the rest comes second. This choice informs all my others. Which is to say, I’m easily predictable in this way, but hopefully honest. At least I try to be. …And I haven’t always made this a priority, by the way. As much as I try, I’m still not sinless, so never think of me, or another, this way. We get into a heap of trouble when we do that.
Many of us are gathered together today, Easter Sunday, for time with family, sharing, caring, fellowship, and worship. When I ponder Easter and all the things I grapple with understanding, I often wonder about the physical sacrifices made by Christ. Being thrashed and bludgeoned, nearly unrecognizable, then crucified, is not an easy way to go. All with a huge audience enthusiastically cheering for your demise preceded by tremendous humiliation. Those are simply physical things, which would be plenty enough to do us all in. What about the mental aspect of this? Knowing you’d need to withstand all this, combined with the betrayal of your own that leads to this end, is a burden most minds can’t fathom.
But… This is my attempt at seeing through Christ’s perspective, possibly. Have you ever thought about what it was like to look at this through the Father’s eyes? I was challenged to do this by a brother, not long ago. And with this challenge, I’m not proud to admit that I have hated people. We’re commanded against this, yet I have. Now, juxtapose that with the love of your child. Could I take my child, which I love so much I can’t adequately express it, and offer this beautiful creation in trade to save the life of the person I hate? I don’t know how I could possibly do that. Yet, God’s Son was perfect, and He traded His Son to save us all from the thing he hated – sin. Imagine for a minute what that could have felt like… Can you sense it?
I wish I was worthy of His sacrifice. I wish God would have been better replenished for his offer. But, the scales were tipped. And He tipped them. For we do not deserve our opportunity at salvation, yet we have it. …And all we need to do is say “YES” to Him in every way that implies. …Which means “NO” to all the others, by the way.
I continue to find myself wholly inadequate to inherit the Kingdom, yet I know where I’m headed. The best I can do is strive to be more worthy today of my salvation than I was yesterday. Join me. Thank you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.