Do you remember all of the mild stones with your first born? The first smile. The first time they rolled over. The first time they crawled. The first tooth. The first "mama" or "dadda". Catching them after their first steps. The pudgy fingers that would wrap around your neck. The wet, drooling kisses on your cheek. The smell of their scalp after a bath. Watching their lips suckle involuntarily as they slept soundly in their crib.
Now imagine sending that precious baby, now a grown man, to be murdered this coming Friday. Murdered by all of the people you aren't too crazy about. Murdered for the people you do not like. Knowing that you will watch your child die a bloody, horrific, agonizing, excruciating, unimaginable death. To die for a group of people who are not worthy to die for.
What drives people to hate? Hate that causes people to want to kill others? There are many reasons. Fear. Pride. Ignorance. Insecurity. People often hate those that make them feel uncomfortable or not good enough. Not included. People often hate those who speak the truth. They don't want to hear the truth because it shed's light on their dark lives. But I think it's deeper. Every single human being on this planet has something inside of them that wants to be loved. When it can't be filled? We turn to every form of idolatry that there is: love, wealth, popularity, perfection. We can't purchase it, rent it, grow it, create it, imagine it, design it. We can try to fill it with things. With worldly pleasures, treasures, trips, purchases, education, social accolades. But the fact remains that void can only be filled by Jesus Christ Himself.
These men wounded, maimed, and butchered Jesus. Ironically, Jesus was called by God the Father to die to do what? To save them from their earthly pain. To save all of us from our sins. So there He was. The Son of God. Sent to save these men from themselves and they were killing Him. Insanity really. When I think back to the crucifixion story and the events that led up to it? I think it's not so different than what we are witnessing today. We have precious missionaries in the middle east trying to send forth the gospel. The message of hope in a Savior. Trying to turn people away from their sin. To give them everlasting life. Yet we have militant groups beheading them in the name of their god.
I think of the precious mother's who have to endure seeing the news footage of those be-headings over and over again. Their beautiful baby boys, now grown men, testifying in the name of Jesus Christ. These men murdered in front of the whole world. Can you even imagine the agony? I can't fathom it. These mother's knew that their sons were trying to make the world a better place. That their sons were trying to bring people into peace, freedom, ever lasting hope in Jesus thru salvation. They knew that the work was ordained. That their boys were called to go forth and testify. They knew the work was righteous. And, yet, their babies were murdered! The boys they had rocked, nursed, cuddled, cooed, and sang too. Surely, for just one second, they had to ask "Why, my boy, Lord? Why?"
As Mary followed the procession to watch her son be nailed on the cross what must she have been thinking? "Why, my boy, Lord?" Surely her head knew that her son was the King of Kings. The Lord of Lords. The most hated and beloved man in all of human history. But her heart? Her heart, as a mother, had to have been breaking. This was her baby. How did she show grace to the men that murdered her boy? How did the mother in her forgive?
This much anticipated upcoming long weekend brings great joy. Kids are out of school. Trips to the beach. Easter egg hunts. Sunrise services. Easter Sunday family brunch. A time of resurrection and celebration! But I urge you to take time to reflect on what Easter truly means. Who and what was sacrificed for you. For me. The blood that was shed. Continues to be shed. That beautiful baby boy was born and died for you and me. It's easy to forget that amongst Easter baskets and Easter vacation.
It is because of Our Savior that we are all here to say "He Is Risen!" It is because of that baby boy that we are forgiven. We can't all be missionaries. But our lives can be our mission field. Whatever bugs you? Whoever unnerves you? Let it go. Forgive. Ask Him to forgive for you if you can't do it yourself. Let the whole world know with whom you belong. You are covered in the precious royal blood! Let the grace that has been extended to you radiate & permeate everything and everyone around you.
“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”-Luke 23:34
