A Very Special Time

Well yesterday was a very big day for the Emmons’ family as the baby girl of our family got engaged. The two families were waiting at a location to celebrate the merging of two families into one. Later last night when I had come home, I was looking through all the pictures and decided to send some to our future son-in-law’s mother. This morning when I awoke, I saw a text from her she had sent after I fell asleep. She stated that Robbie’s phone had died after the proposal and before the celebration. He stated to her that he was glad it died because he didn’t want to be disturbed or distracted from his focus with this being a very special time.

This morning as I was in prayer about this being the week leading up to Easter, I remembered Robbie’s words and thought of the cross. I whispered to the Lord that He keep my focus on the cross this week, what was done for me and the beautiful benefit of eternity with God. Like Robbie, I don’t want to be distracted this week because of the importance of what the cross represents. It represents that because I couldn’t atone for my own sin, a humble and sinless man named Jesus stood in my place. He did nothing to deserve what I deserved but He did everything that I couldn’t do for myself. That is grace… that is agape love…that is unfathomable. I want to skip ahead to the empty grave, but I cannot because the empty grave means nothing without the occupied cross. It is the part of the story where a man had to help Jesus carry the cross because of its great weight and the weakness of a beaten Jesus. "The accused would carry the cross beam to the place of crucifixion. Jesus started to carry it, but simply couldn't bear it very far after all the physical trauma He had just gone through. He collapsed. That is when the Romans drafted Simon of Cyrene to carry the cross the rest of the way." Christian Apologetics Research Ministry website. It is the part of the story where some of His best friends scattered. It is the part of the story where suffering was great, but Jesus was committed to die for you and me. It is the part of the story that makes me want to turn my focus to something 'nicer', so I don’t have to consider what He endured. It is the part of the story where evil thought it had been victorious.

This week we will all have a million reasons to become distracted or disturbed but let us keep our focus on what is important even if it hurts to consider it. Let us approach God in deep reverence telling Him that Jesus is worthy of our consideration of His disparaging journey to cross. And let us keep the joy of expectation of the empty grave in the near distance just like we do when considering our loved ones who have also made their journey to crossover into Heaven.

May the God of comfort give us peace this week as we consider what was done for us.