I think the parts of the movie The Passion which move me the most are the parts that show Mary running toward her Son, the Son of God, the Messiah. I think I understood more of the sacrifice that was made by the Father and the Son (and Mary) when I myself became a parent. When your baby is first placed in your arms, there is an overwhelming need to protect them, to keep them from harm. We also have an intense desire to give them good things, a good life, and love. You so want everything to go well for them. You want the best for them. You want them to fulfill their purpose in life and be happy doing it. Not one of us would willingly subject our child to suffering...
When I think of Mary, I think of a human mom who had to make the ultimate sacrifice. But I also realize that she didn't understand what would be required of her when she said, "My soul exalts the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave; for behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed. For the Mighty One has done great things for me; and holy is His name..." Luke 1:46-49 (NASB) Mary knew that she would give birth to the Messiah, to the Savior of the world, but I am not sure she knew that that would require Him to be beaten, scarred, tortured, and killed on a cross. I'm sure, as a mother, she would not have chosen that for her Son. But as the bondservant of the Lord, she was willing to endure the horror of the death of her child for the salvation of the whole world.
When I think of God the Father, I see a Father who chose to give His only Son as a sacrifice for mankind. What is more difficult? Is it more difficult to have your Son taken by force and killed while you stand by watching? Or is it more difficult to make the decision to offer up Your only begotten Son as a living sacrifice for the sins of the entire world. Although they are both unthinkable, I believe the more difficult situation would be the one where the Father knowingly chose to offer His only Son for a propitiation for all. That is the magnitude of the Father's love for us. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." John 3:16 (NASB)
"For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus." Romans 3:22b-26 (ESV)
"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." 1 John 4:10 (KJV)
Dear Lord, Thank You for Your great love for us and for the amazing provision You made for us through the precious blood of Your One and Only Son. Please let me ever be conscious of the great sacrifice that was made on that cross so long ago...
No comments:
Post a Comment