Holy Week 2016 - The Cost of the Day – Doubt – Closing Thoughts

Greetings Dear Reader,

All over the world those of us who believe are celebrating the resurrection today.  Christ is risen indeed.  We celebrate the things won that first Resurrection Morning.  We claim the preeminence of Jesus over all things because of this event.

This particular Resurrection Sunday is difficult for me.  In a couple of hours I will journey to a church I love to celebrate an event that I love and cherish.  Too many people that I love will not be with me.  They no longer celebrate the resurrection. 

I am also without them on one of the most painful days of the year for me.  Today is also my Daughter Rachel’s birthday.  My hallelujah is in full force today.  It is, however, cold and broken.  I miss her more than I can articulate.  Resurrection Sunday and her birthday will only collide a few times in my life.  It makes the day doubly difficult for me.

It has caused me to turn my mind to the cost of the day.  We broke God.  We beat him and humiliated him.  We killed him and put him in the ground.  Then when he counted on us to watch and wait we hid and doubted.  I say we to all of this because I refuse to abdicate my personal responsibility in all of this.

The women who arrived at the tomb came to embalm the dead.  The apostles did not believe their account when they reported a risen Christ.  Thomas proclaimed loudly that he would not believe without seeing.  People who had seen it all doubted. 

They had seen Jesus created food and wine.  They were there when he healed the sick.  They were present when he taught, admonished, and loved everyone.  They saw him raise the dead.  The cost of the day is that even though he told them he would return to them they did not believe it. 

The cost of this day is doubt amidst incontrovertible evidence.  The cost of the day is that those who know Jesus still reject him.  Those who have seen him change lives choose a life without him.  God’s blood bought us all the chance to believe and live.  It saddens me on the joyous day to ponder the doubt with which it is met.  

Love Crucified Arose – Michael Card

Long ago, He blessed the earth

Born older than the years

And in the stall the cross He saw

Through the first of many tears

A life of homeless wandering

Cast out in sorrow's way

The Shepherd seeking for the lost

His life, the price He paid

Love crucified arose

The risen One in splendor

Jehovah's sole defender

Has won the victory

Love crucified arose

And the grave became a place of hope

For the heart that sin and sorrow broke

Is beating once again

Throughout Your life You've felt the weight

Of what You'd come to give

To drink for us that crimson cup

So we might really live

At last the time to love and die

The dark appointed day

That one forsaken moment when

Your Father turned His face away

Love crucified arose

The One who lived and died for me

Was Satan's nail pierced casualty

Now He's breathing once again

Love crucified arose

And the grave became a place of hope

For the heart that sin and sorrow broke

Is beating once again

Love crucified arose

The risen One in splendor

Jehovah's sole defender

Has won the victory

Love crucified arose

And the grave became a place of hope

For the heart that sin and sorrow broke

Is beating once again

Love crucified arose

The One who lived and died for me

Was Satan's nail-pierced casualty

Now He's breathing once again

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store.”

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