Listen to his journey
by Sharon L. Reidenbach
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
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