It Is Finished

Thanks to youth I've made it a tradition for this year and last, and in the following years to watch Passion of The Christ on Good Friday. Last year was the first time I had ever seen it. I was pretty overwhelmed, to say the least. It made the crucifixion real. It made the sacrifice real. It made the pain real. It made the abuse real. It made the suffering real. It made Jesus real. It had never registered in my mind that Jesus being persecuted and brutally beaten and killed on that cross was all real. That it really happened. I could never comprehend it. I always knew that it happened...but it was just head knowledge. Kind of like knowing that a family member is going to pass away soon, you know it's going to happen, but it doesn't really click until they're actually not there anymore and you see them in that casket.
So last night, I watched it for the second time with the same youth. Let's just say that this time around there were many more tears I had to attempt to fight back. There wasn't even a point in fighting them though when he was up on that cross. The flood gates definitely opened then. And you know what? That's not a bad thing either.
As I was watching Jesus get beat, whipped, his flesh get ripped from his body with the cat of nine tails, his red blood replacing the color of his skin, being spit at, being laughed at, being hated...I yelled at him and said, "You shouldn't have done that! Why would you do that?!" It's just not fair. I was actually so mad at him. I'm the type of person who hates watching other people go through hard stuff. I would much sooner say, No, I'll go through that, give it to me, I can handle it...but that person, they don't deserve it, let them be free. And there I was, watching my Lord being treated like dirt. Taking all of my sin onto himself. Past, present and future. He knew that I was gonna screw up bad, he knew that I was going to need a lot of work, he knew everything that would become apart of me and my life and he still went through with it. If I was the only person on this earth, he still would have gone through that torture. He still would have died in the most painful, humiliating, disgraceful way imaginable. He wanted me. This just blows my mind. How the God of all the earth, who made everything and everyone, who knows all my thoughts, troubles and temptations, who could have easily said, "Nope, they're not good enough for me anymore," wanted...me. Me! Of all people...wow. Just wow. Personally, I think he's absolutely insane...but I don't mind. :) I wouldn't change him for the world!!
At the end of the movie, I again said to him, "You shouldn't have done that." This time, in a quiet, sad voice. And you know what he said to me? "I already did." And there's nothing I can do about it. No matter how much I want to fight with him, no matter how much I wish he didn't have to go through all that horror, he already did. It's done. It's finished. It's accomplished. He's already bought, wrapped and given us this gift. This gift of salvation. This gift of himself; his love, his peace, his joy, of life. He took our sin. All of it. He carries it now. And you know what? It's not a burden to him because he's defeated sin. Now comes our part. We have to decide if we're going to open this gift. Some people just take the wrapped gift but never open the wrapping paper. They just let it sit, unopened in their hearts and lives. Some people will take the wrapping paper off and open the box but are too hesitant to take the gift out. And then there are those people who really use this gift. They rip that wrapping paper off and they tear the box open and they use that gift. They talk to God, they read their bibles, they witness to others, they go out and be the hands and feet of Jesus Christ. Who do you think has the more fulfilled, joyful life? The one who puts the box in the corner of their room, hardly touched or even looked at, or the one who dives into that gift? It's your choice. He's waiting for you.
God bless,
Ariel