A Gift So Great –
freely there for all who accept it
Over the past few months many in our wonderful country have suffered from the effects of natural disasters, the effects of crimes committed without thought for others, health needs, the rising cost of living, and so much more.
The response in acts of generosity and self-sacrifice to assist the suffering through these difficult times has been so heart-warming. People have looked and seen, listened and heard and responded in love. One friend told of how they sent their mini-digger to the East Coast to help with the recovery. A small but loving sacrifice. Many others have responded with gifts and their presence.
However even though there are many heart-warming acts of generosity and self- sacrifices in this world, none can compare with the one we celebrate at Easter. We marvel that God the creator of the universe, loves us so much that He sent His Only Son to die a cruel death of a condemned man on the cross. Not only condemned to die, but deserted by His friends and mourned only by His nearest and dearest. Yet painful as that lonely death and rejection was, it was almost an unimaginable act of reconciliation between God and His created people.
Human nature has changed little since the time of Christ. The suffering, the cruelty, the rejection and the indifference of that original Good Friday is with us still and the need for forgiveness is as great as ever.
The sense of new life, the knowledge of redemption, the chance of a fresh start, all of which are implicit in the resurrection, are as real and necessary for faltering mankind today as in the past.
Christ’s life and death opens the door to a new dimension to our lives as revealed in His sacrifice and triumphant resurrection at Easter:
Christ was truly God. But He did not try to remain equal with God. Instead He gave up everything and became a slave, when He became like one of us. Christ was humble. He obeyed God and even died on a cross. Then God gave Christ the highest place and honored His name above all others. So, at the name of Jesus everyone will bow down, those in heaven, on earth, and under the earth. And to the glory of God the Father everyone will openly agree,
“Jesus Christ is Lord!” Philippians 2:6-11
Lorraine Harvey
