Sometimes the way the Easter story is told, people get the idea God sent Jesus to do a very dirty job and then watched, even at times turning away.
Satan would love for us to believe God is very angry with us because of our sins. He wants us to believe that what happened to Jesus was really what God intended for us.
Satan takes great joy in painting God as the villain.
Nothing could be further from The Truth.
Satan is the villain and source of torment. He is the one who tempts us into sin and then accuses us after we sin.
He then tempts us to believe we have “fallen from Grace” so far that God would punish us severely and abandon us.
But there is a significant flaw in satan’s version of the Easter story.
When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was, He began by saying, “The Lord our God is One!”
Mark 12:29
Jesus said, “I and The Father are One!”
John 10:30
The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit have been together from the beginning, are now and ever shall be. They were One at the cross.
God was not off in some other universe watching the show. He was not looking away. He Himself was in the midst of the suffering and The Glory. God Himself came to save us from satan’s grasp.
The cross is not just a historical event. It is not just a passion play to be retold once a year. We are not spectators. As much as God, Jesus and The Holy Spirit were United on the cross, we are there too.
Paul said, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in The Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
Galatians 2:20
Jesus’ Last Words from the cross could be our words about our present day life.
God painted the very graphic picture of the hell on earth we feel as satan’s intended victim … the point at which satan will tempt us to believe God has forsaken us.
However, God already settled His position long before the cross.
He said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Hebrews 13:5
“I have loved you with an Everlasting Love; therefore I have continued My Faithfulness to you.”
Jeremiah 31:3
God is always with us, but sins can cause us to be in dark places and block our view of God.
“Your sins have hidden His Face from you.”
Isaiah 59:2
Salvation from suffering comes when we thirst … when we acknowledge we are in need of help and deliverance.
Jesus said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”
Matthew 5:6
Hungering and Thirsting for God is the path to the next step.
Receiving His Gift of Grace is the beginning of the journey out of torment. It is then we can say, “It is finished.”
The torment is finished. It is over. It is done. We are free.
We can soar and see God’s Face clearly as we say with Jesus, “into Your Hands I commit my spirit!”
And His Response will be as it has always been, “Be sure of this. I am with you always!”
Matthew 28:20
As you reflect on the wonder of God’s Presence, enjoy this song. Here is the link.
