Most us have heard it or are familiar with it. It's that one story where Jesus, who is God, comes down to die on a cross to save us from our sins. After 3 days, He comes back to life and returns to heaven.
So many "Christians" think of this as just a story. In their minds, it's just like a childhood story they read and hear from any novel. It never becomes a reality to them. However, this story is real.
I'll admit that I was once like this. As a kid, it was just a story to me. I memorized the facts. I knew all the information. Then, over time, it became very dull, boring, repetitive, or whatever to me. I had become desensitized to the story.
But then I read it for myself again and again and again... it slowly become more and more real. I read the Bible trying to imagine what it would be like if it happened today. This passage has always struck me in awe.
"Going a little farther, [Jesus] fell with his face to the ground and prayed, ' My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.'" -Matthew 26:39
"And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground." -Luke 22:44The story of Jesus coming down to save us isn't a simple story. It's not about a happy, giggly, jubilant Jesus coming down to do a little saving here and there. It's not about Jesus telling the Father, "Hey dad, I'll be right back. I need to go save mankind real quick. I'll brb with this errand." No.
Let me try to put this into a different perspective. Imagine the moon coming down from space. And then imagine that moon crushing a porcelain cup. If the moon came crashing down onto a porcelain cup, there would be nothing left of that cup. Magnify this proportion by 10000000000000 billion (then add 10 billion more zeros to that number). That is the wrath of God that Jesus had to face to save us. You think it was easy for Jesus to face the FULL wrath of God?
Even Jesus asks the Father, "...if it is possible..." please take this cup from me. Jesus is asking, "IS THERE ANY OTHER WAY TO DO THIS?" He was terrified of facing God's wrath. He sweat drops of blood just thinking about it.
But nonetheless, Jesus obeys the Father. Why? Because He loves us that much.
Jesus could have easily backed out of this. He could have quit at ANY MOMENT. But He obeyed the Father's will because He loves us. That breaks my heart every time.
This song by Phil Wickham always reminds me of that story. It reminds of those details that I become desensitized to.
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