Redemption

There was something different about this Easter, and I can't quite put my finger on it.  I think that the entire lenten season sort of slipped away from me.  I didn't choose to observe Lent in the traditional sense, with giving something up, and to be complete transparent, I did a pretty poor job of intentionally reflecting on what the season means.

The only thing I did do consistently this past month was to watch The Bible on the History channel, and each week as I prepared to watch it with my family, especially this past Sunday, I was struck with a collision of emotion:  anticipation and nervousness mixed with excitement and expectation.  AJ and I joked that they often tried to leave you with a cliffhanger at the end of each episode, as if we didn't know what was coming next.  But in all honesty, I found myself anxiously awaiting the next installment each week.

And at the end of it all, after watching History's interpretation of Jesus' gruesome death on the cross, I feel more in awe and humbled by the sacrifice of Christ and the entire metanarrative of God, including the parts that He's currently writing.  It's amazing to me, still, after knowing the story for my entire life, that Christ came, lived a completely sin-free life, and then went to death on the cross just to lift the oppression of the law and to offer us forgiveness.  And how often are we really the other two criminals who were crucified with Him, or even Barabbas, who certainly deserved death on the cross?

I'm continuously amazed that I get to be part of the story that God is writing, while doing nothing to deserve it.  In the case of this Easter, I feel like I fell short.  Life got the better of me and during a season of the year when I should have spent time reflecting on the hope, passion, and life change that accompanies the cross, I went about my day-to-day, busy as ever, and not slowing down.  But the wonder of Christ is that even in a season when I've not tried or done my best, He redeems and restores, and offers rest to the weary.  In this case, it came through a TV miniseries that reminded me of the weight of Christ's sacrifice.  And sometimes, that's all it takes.