Good Friday--A Father's Love

Good Friday

Words that have been familiar to me for all of my life. 

Words that have meant different things to me as I’ve passed through life. 

Jesus died. 

He died for me. 

He died for you. 

Our sins put him on the cross. 

He willingly and lovingly allowed himself to hang there. Being ridiculed, spat at, and in unimaginable pain. 

He suffered. 

All because he loves us. 

When I was younger, I didn’t really focus on how much of a sacrifice that was because I knew he came back to life three days later. I never thought about what a sacrifice God gave us by sending his son who he loved so much to do this for us. 

My boys (Keven and Jeffter) in no way suffered as much as Jesus did, but the last monthish of their lives they really did suffer. Their bodies rejected any nourishment they were given, breathing was a struggle, and they both basically just wasted away little by little until their bodies couldn’t even handle a heart beating. 

There is nothing that would ever make me choose that for them. Nothing.

Those end days were so challenging for me too. Watching someone you love so much suffer and you unable to do anything to help them other than be present.

My “consulation prize” is knowing that my boys are in heaven with Jesus. I have the hope and excitement that one day I’ll see them and we can hug again. I get to imagine them with new bodies that can run, taste and enjoy all the flavors of food, and are free of sickness.

God? He sent his son to die and go to Hell that we were supposed to be destined to.

He sent Jesus to take on our sins so his son would be separated from him. 

He did that because he loved us.

I don’t know that my love for anyone is big enough to willingly put my children through something like that. 

Yes, they knew that Jesus would rise from the dead three days later but the day of death with so much pain and torture and the three days of being completely separate had have been terrible. 

I’ve also had a child who got really sick. It even happened to be a Friday. Everyone thought the worst. Only by a miracle he got better and we were able to go home on a Sunday. Those three days were terrible. He made a full recovery. But, if I could erase that weekend and the memories of holding my baby afraid he wouldn’t make it and take that pain away from my child, I would, without any hesitation. 

I would never choose him to be in that much pain and confusion. 

But God did. 

I almost feel like it would be easier for Jesus to choose to be the one to say yes. Any good parent would say it would be easier to lay down your own life than the life of your child.

“For God so love the world (that’s us) that he gave his only son”

When is the last time you stopped and thought about how great that love is?

It’s huge. 

God chose to love you more than I can describe with words. God created you to be who you were, exactly the way you are because he loves you so much. You were thought of as Jesus was on that cross. You were running through God’s mind as he watched his son suffer. 

Seriously, let that sink in. 

You are valuable. 

You matter more than words can say. 

Some Easter weekends the sacrifice really resonates with me. Others, while I’m still so thankful for the sacrifice, it’s too much of a story that I’ve heard so many times and I forget the magnitude of what we are really remembering. I’m sure I’m not alone. 

Don’t let the Easter story just be a story this weekend. Take time to make it personal. Take time to remember just how loved you are.