I cannot imagine what it must have been like for those that loved Jesus to see Him hanging from that cross. As a mother, I cannot imagine Mary’s anguish. As a friend and as a follower, it must have been excruciating not being able to do anything to help Him. Knowing that He did NOT deserve to be up there. I can only imagine that every word Jesus told the disciples about this moment must have gone through their heads. It had to have been horrific seeing Someone they loved, someone they had left everything to follow, someone they believed in die a slow painful death right before their very eyes. Jesus had tried to prepare them for this moment by all that He had explained to them and taught them ahead of time, but actually witnessing His Words in action – I have no adequate words to write – at that the very thought of it…Jesus on the cross cried out in John 19:30:
“It is finished.”
And in Matthew 27:50:
“And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.”
Remember, The Shekinah-glory that was shining above the Mercy Seat would annihilate anyone but the High Priest and so the temple’s veil protected humans from instant death. The veil was a symbol of the separation of God from sinful mankind. It marked the boundary between God’s pure holiness and the wickedness of mankind. Jesus died on the cross for forgiveness of our sins, hence His death redeemed us provided the way of restoration for a relationship with God the Father, which is why the curtain in the temple was torn from top to bottom. But the restoration that Jesus’ provided for us, is a gift that you have to be willing to receive. How do you receive that gift? Romans 12:9 tells us:
“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Faith and trust in God is knowing that He is working behind the scenes… We see examples of that all woven throughout the Bible. I can’t help but think how blessed we are, that we have the Word of God in our very hands! He has seen fit to share all that has happened, all that IS happening and all that WILL happen right there in His Word. If that is not God’s grace, I don’t know what is.
God does not “owe” us anything. We look at today’s youth and we think, “they act so entitled…” Yet why does that surprise us when we have the same mentality? We expect that we will wake up every morning as if God owes us a new day! And how many of us take time to thank Him for it? Or to thank Him at all?
We were originally created to live forever! Sin, sickness and death came into the world when Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden. (Take a look and read Genesis chapter 3). We never reach a point where we “feel” we have had enough time with someone we love. That is because death was not supposed to be part of our story.
The witness of God is ALL around us, yet how many of us take the time to notice it? The Bluebonnets are up in Texas, you can seem them all along the highways – yet how many of us keep our eyes focused on our own daily agendas pressed against our minds? Missing the beauty of these little reminders of God’s faithfulness and beauty? His mercies are new every day!
God tries in so many ways to get our attention – yet who is seeking Him? Who is recognizing the need to have Him first and foremost in their lives except for when we feel we NEED something from Him?
I feel convicted and see myself in the above, can you admit that you do too? Imagine if someone loved you so much and tried in every way to get your attention and you were oblivious to it? Yet when they needed something, they knew you were someone they could come to and ask – only to come when they were in need? How would that make you feel? YET GOD still loves us! God’s grace is STILL abundant! God’s forgiveness and His faithfulness is still present!
Why does He put up with us? Why does He love us? We are such a motely crew! 😉 Yet He does and the BEST thing we can do, is accept the gift of salvation that Jesus willingly on the cross died for us to have… The curtains were torn for YOU. They were torn for ME. When I think about the love God has for us, in actually leaving the glories of Heaven to come down to “our level” in the form of man (Jesus) to be born of the virgin Mary, live a sinless life and take OUR place, take our sins upon Himself to die a death on the cross that He did NOT deserve to die…. FOR US. And in doing so – made a way of redemption for us to have through receiving the gift of salvation, a restored relationship with God the Father. Jesus was resurrected, conquered sin and death through the cross and is seated at the right hand of the Father, interceding STILL on our behalf… He WILL come again as shown in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17:
“For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.”
I have found that in my walk with Him, He has torn many curtains following that one down within me (and still is). As long as we have breathe in our bodies, and allow Holy Spirit to do a work within us, God refines us. When you accept Jesus as Savior, make Him Lord over your life – that “Lord over your life” part is a daily work through. There are things within us that we don’t even KNOW need the touch of God, especially the older you are prior to accepting Him into your heart. I was 21 years old when I was introduced to Jesus. There was (and still is) much within me that God is showing me needs to be refined. We are not saved by works, we are saved by grace – but even so, once you have given your life to Jesus, your life belongs to Him. There is a joy and an unspeakable love that fills your soul, but there are also lessons and seasons that occur as you walk with Him. And just like it was with the disciples, there are highs and lows. I don’t know what it is that God is going to bring you through on your journey with Him, but I can tell you that it is His love, His forgiveness, His grace, His mercy, His patience that will get you through. God does not love as people love. His love is unchanging, His love stays with you – He will NEVER leave nor forsake you. God did not intend life to be for people as it is, it was not God’s will that Adam and Eve would sin and bring sin, death and all that comes with it into the world, but the good news is that GOD IS WITH US. the ONE TRUE GOD loves YOU with an everlasting love…. LET HIM. CHOOSE HIM. WALK WITH HIM. SERVE HIM. LOVE HIM with ALL your heart. Because THAT is how God CHOSE to love YOU. Let Him tear down any “curtains” or “walls” that life has made you construct because you thought it would protect you… There is NOTHING greater than God’s love…. NO GREATER LOVE than from the One who first loved you… And guess what? HE STILL DOES. 😉
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