Monday, March 21, 2005

Christ's Passion

It is only fitting with this week of Easter, that I speak on passion. More importantly, what Christ taught us about passion.

This was taken directly from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary website (www.m-w.com)
passion:
1 often capitalized a : the sufferings of Christ between the night of the Last Supper and his death b : an oratorio based on a gospel narrative of the Passion2 obsolete : SUFFERING3 : the state or capacity of being acted on by external agents or forces4 a (1) : EMOTION (2) plural : the emotions as distinguished from reason b : intense, driving, or overmastering feeling or conviction

Jesus put aside himself for us. Big deal, you say? Personally I have never known anyone who went through brutal torture, hands and feet nailed to a cross, a spear in the lungs and heart, and using every last ounce of strength to say, "It is finished." for my sins. My SINS. My wrong doing against the One who loved me before I became human.

Jesus died for me and for us all. He knows our hearts and minds better than we do. He knows our tendencies. He knows we can't go to Heaven just by being and doing good. If that were the case, Jesus would not have taken human form and suffered for us.

I have not been a lifelong believer and follower of Christ. At best, I knew Jesus was God's Son. I took this at face value. I had the, "Yeah, sure, whatever..." attitude towards Christianity. Then, I saw Him - I saw the face of Christ. I saw a love so boundless that I wanted more. Like the Samaritan woman at the well, I wanted that water that quenched my spiritual thirst and keeps filling me. I wanted to know who Jesus was and is - I wanted to know God.

To know God, to know Christ, we must first understand what they did for us and why. To know why Jesus was flogged by whips containing metal and bone. Why Jesus layed on to a cross, with a profusely bleeding body, to have nails hammered into his wrists and feet. To know why Jesus chose to save a thief on a cross, who knew He was innocent and simply asked to be remembered. Why? Because He loves us - a boundless, undying love.

Jesus taught me to believe in Him, to have faith in Him, to follow Him, and ask for God's will be done through Him. Jesus taught me about true love. He will forever be passionate for us.