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"The problem with you Protestants is that you're in too much of a hurry to get to the resurrection and you rush right on past the cross." (or something to that effect)
A similar statement from an Easter message we heard a few years ago in Chicago...
"You can't have the resurrection without first tasting death."
So true...
The point from both of these statements draws out one of the profound both/and's of our faith... lose your life and you'll wind up finding it, find your life and you will have lost it... but dying is so, so, so difficult... or maybe it's just me?... it seems to me that we are more willing to receive the "benefits" of resurrection power than we are to embrace the death-of-our-flesh part... and I think that God in His kindness understands... Jesus certainly seems to: "Father, if You are willing, take this cup from Me; yet not My will but Yours be done." (Luke 22:42)
And so He died...
Don't rush past the cross.
12 comments:
Thank you for posting this! It really speaks to me. I'm a school teacher (in a Catholic school) and during this very special week your post really does speak to me. Thank you! God Bless!
Nothing is more humbling than doing just that. But oh man, I'm so glad when I wake up on Easter morning, look at the first person that's trying to beat me to the shower and say "He Is Risen, can I hear an AMEN!" It's even better than Christmas morning. Mourning turns into Joy. One can (most times) not happen without the other.
This week I will remember and reflect. But I will also remember to rejoice because the story doesn't end there. Seriously, can I hear an Amen!?!
I will be continuing to pray for Nicol and baby as well as your whole family.
Not sure if I had shared what the Lord has been teaching me the past 2 weeks but it is exactly what you wrote. In short, as I have been crying out to God and trying to come to terms with all that has happened; God lead me through his word in a way that I had never looked at the 'Easter Story' before. 'How Did Things Go So Wrong?' This was my question to my Heavenly Father, not questioning but really just trying to find a peace in it all. I listed all of the things I thought should not have gone wrong the night my sweet nephews went home to be with Jesus and then I listed all the reasons my sweet Jesus should not have went to the cross. (Yes, I know it was God's plan all along and I know that it was for good.) See, we can see that now and rejoice in the fact that Jesus went to the cross. But, I wonder what were Mary and John and the others that loved Jesus thinking as he was being arrested, beaten, crucified. As he layed in the grave for three days. I think, they were asking the same question 'How Did Things Go So Wrong?". Wow, Greg, this was huge to me as I think of the boys. Because I know the rest of the story, Jesus rose and conquered death. Praise your name Jesus. Wow.... My nephews were resurrected , not on earth, but heaven, where they are safe and in the arms of Jesus. Oh, Lord thank you for the eternal perspective. Please don't think though that I have completely gotten it though; as we are coming upon Easter, we have made plans to be out-of-town (this way I do not have to deal with 4 easter baskets and not 7, four for an easter egg hunt barely seems fair anymore.) The tears still flow and my heart still aches. My oldest nephew would be 9 on the 27th (which is his cousin's second bday). I know God will give me wisdom and I pray for each of you and may God bless you abundantly. In God's Love, sheila
Thank you for those words. We all need to be reminded of that. Have fun in Cali.
That was good...thank you for the reminder!
Have a great Easter!
He is Risen!
Paige
Thank you for the reminder alot of prayers for the Mom to be.
Love in Christ
Magg
I just made this comment to my husband the other day.
Wow,what a great post!I think the reason that I love the movie The Passion of the Christ so much(as hard as it is to watch)is that it focuses on the death of Christ and all that his death included as far as we know.As a follower of Jesus,we have to deny ourselves,pick up our cross daily and follow him.We have to DIE to ourselves.It is a decision we have to make daily.Now don't get me wrong.The empty tomb is AWESOME.But the only reason their is a tomb is because someone died.God bless you and your entire family this Easter.He is risen.He is risen INDEED!
This really spoke to me this morning - thank you so much for sharing it.
Thanks for the thoughts...I am Catholic and often hear from good Protestant friends confusion on why in the world we have crucifixes? Why would we focus on that terrible symbol? Yes, it shows of Christ's terrible suffering but only from that, the great joy.
Wishing you a blessed Easter!
A blog reader in IN
So very timely, and spoke straight to me. Thank you for sharing!
Good reminder.
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