Listen To His Journey
by Sharon L. Reidenbach
9/11 brought us to ours knees. We became one Nation Under God. We sang God Bless America. Churches opened doors to anyone. Problems thought demanding and threatening, diminished. We lived why Jesus loved and died for us: Eternal life, and His extending love to one another.
But it’s sixteen years since the crisis. Easily we’ve slipped back into merely reading and observing instead of ‘listening’ to Jesus’ message of love on His journey to the cross. For example:
~ Two out-cast, a leper and a lowly woman with fragrant oil, felt His touch of acceptance (Matthew 26:6, NKJV).
~ No distinction between individuals did He make when extending the Cup and bread: a symbol of His blood and body at the Last Supper (Luke 22: 19-20).
~ We’re never disowned for a weak spirit, for Christ looks at our heart as He did with Peter, and he grew in wisdom (Matthew 26:3, 69).
~ The mighty are not esteemed higher than a slave; For Jesus’ closest companions slept through His agony of prayer when He needed them most (Matthew 26:36).
~ We in Christ are secure He’ll stand firm, and never leave us. For no one, or an action could alter His course. Even though a “Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3), His calm, serene, bold, unyielding stature before His betrayer, the priest, Pilot and Herod, attested to His eternal strength (Matthew 26:47: 27:11,15; Luke 23:6-11).
~ He protected us from the prosecutor’s scourging of leather strips and metal spikes after taking Barabbas’ place. (Matthew27: 15). “By His stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:4).
~ No one will experience the humiliation, or degradation as our Savior did for us (Mark 15:16).
~ With painful steps He carried our names on the Cross. (Matthew 27:32). Yet He offered, “Come you who are heavy laden and I’ll give you rest” (Matthew 11:28)
~ From the cross with parched lips, and a body wrenching with annihilating pain, He pleads for us: “Father forgive them for they know not what they do,” (Luke 23:24)
~ Creation groaned with earthquakes, rocks splitting, and graves opening. While a non- believer proclaimed, “This Man was the Son of God?” (27:51).
~ No one is denied life: no grave could hold Him: HE A-ROSE (Psalm 22).
For a few moments after 9/11 we lived: “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26, 28).
The word ‘listen’ contains the same letters as the word ‘silent’ (Alfred Brendel). This Easter, may we turn off electronics, and with a silent mind, listen. There’s a unique message for each of us from Christ’s crucifixion journey, for He redeemed us individually, while drawing us together collectively in His Eternal Love. Listen, He’s calling