Stop The World I Want To Get Off
Posted by: Denelle
Why is it that you can be having a perfectly lovely week, things are good, not too crazy but with enough excitement to keep it interesting and the BAM! (thanks Emeril) everything goes crazy all at once and you suddenly can't keep up?
Do those experiences qualify as corollary's to Murphy's Law?
The Ultimate sacrifice
For as long as I can remember Easter has been one of my favorite holidays. My mom always makes the best Easter baskets (even through college) and we have a wonderful family dinner. Church service is usually very moving - with beautiful songs, the occasional children's drama and a communion service - and full of visitors. There is lots of laughing and eating and bright colors. The weather is usually very nice. And I think all of that has over the years given me a truly wonderful view of Easter. But sometimes we need to remember that Easter is more than just traditions (even if they're good ones).
Last night my brother and I had a very theological discussion about Easter and how it ties in with our understanding that Jesus was 100% man and 100% God Almighty. The topic is well beyond the depths of my limited cognition (which is why my brother can so deftly run circles around me in this area) and I won't try to recap it for you, but it stirred me and caused me to consider Calvary in a way I never have before.
Having been raised in church I know that in the Garden Jesus struggle (intensely struggled) with the requirements of Calvary. And I've always appreciated the sacrifice that was made on Calvary. However, I think I've always considered these experiences from the "divine nature" point of view. Namely, that Jesus (as God) knew that he was going to have to die and he knew that he would rise again and while his flesh did not want to suffer it was part of the plan and hence had to be done.
Yet, when you consider the "human nature" that Jesus was dealing with it gives the whole picture a slightly different hue. Jesus being human - aka just like you and me - knew fear, pain and doubt. It wasn't just the thought of suffering that his flesh abhorred, but there was a fear of the unknown, a fear of death that Jesus had to struggle with. It is even possible that His humanity tried to cast doubt on the knowledge that he would live again.
Have you ever been so afraid that you are virtually incapacitated? Your heart rate increases until it feels like it's going to beat through your chest wall. Your throat constricts until you can't swallow and your body simply refuses to cooperate with any of the commands your brain is giving. I would imagine that facing a certain and immanent death would produce that kind of fear.
But even in his humanity Jesus was able to face that fear and willingly allow himself to be crucified. As a man He was beaten, mocked, shamed and ultimately killed. And he did it all for me. For me that is incredibly humbling and makes my salvation even more intensely personal. And it makes Easter even more special to me.
And . . . Ugh
That's all for me. Sorry I haven't been around more this week. Work is killing me right now and I just can't seem to find 5 extra minutes. I'll be around more next week (I hope). Have a wonderful Easter!
Why is it that you can be having a perfectly lovely week, things are good, not too crazy but with enough excitement to keep it interesting and the BAM! (thanks Emeril) everything goes crazy all at once and you suddenly can't keep up?
Do those experiences qualify as corollary's to Murphy's Law?
The Ultimate sacrifice
For as long as I can remember Easter has been one of my favorite holidays. My mom always makes the best Easter baskets (even through college) and we have a wonderful family dinner. Church service is usually very moving - with beautiful songs, the occasional children's drama and a communion service - and full of visitors. There is lots of laughing and eating and bright colors. The weather is usually very nice. And I think all of that has over the years given me a truly wonderful view of Easter. But sometimes we need to remember that Easter is more than just traditions (even if they're good ones).
Last night my brother and I had a very theological discussion about Easter and how it ties in with our understanding that Jesus was 100% man and 100% God Almighty. The topic is well beyond the depths of my limited cognition (which is why my brother can so deftly run circles around me in this area) and I won't try to recap it for you, but it stirred me and caused me to consider Calvary in a way I never have before.
Having been raised in church I know that in the Garden Jesus struggle (intensely struggled) with the requirements of Calvary. And I've always appreciated the sacrifice that was made on Calvary. However, I think I've always considered these experiences from the "divine nature" point of view. Namely, that Jesus (as God) knew that he was going to have to die and he knew that he would rise again and while his flesh did not want to suffer it was part of the plan and hence had to be done.
Yet, when you consider the "human nature" that Jesus was dealing with it gives the whole picture a slightly different hue. Jesus being human - aka just like you and me - knew fear, pain and doubt. It wasn't just the thought of suffering that his flesh abhorred, but there was a fear of the unknown, a fear of death that Jesus had to struggle with. It is even possible that His humanity tried to cast doubt on the knowledge that he would live again.
Have you ever been so afraid that you are virtually incapacitated? Your heart rate increases until it feels like it's going to beat through your chest wall. Your throat constricts until you can't swallow and your body simply refuses to cooperate with any of the commands your brain is giving. I would imagine that facing a certain and immanent death would produce that kind of fear.
But even in his humanity Jesus was able to face that fear and willingly allow himself to be crucified. As a man He was beaten, mocked, shamed and ultimately killed. And he did it all for me. For me that is incredibly humbling and makes my salvation even more intensely personal. And it makes Easter even more special to me.
And . . . Ugh
That's all for me. Sorry I haven't been around more this week. Work is killing me right now and I just can't seem to find 5 extra minutes. I'll be around more next week (I hope). Have a wonderful Easter!
