Same Old Story

Yesterday at church, was the same old story that we have all heard a thousand times before. Nothing new, the resurrection of Christ. To some the story seems mundane. To some the only stories they hear from the pulpit are the birth, death, and resurrection stories. They hear a lesson preached from the pulpit, two maybe three times a year. They walk in, do their duty for the year, and walk out thinking, "nothing new there." Nothing new there, must resound in their ears, but to those of us that have tasted the sweet taste of forgiveness, we know there is something new there, every day. I always see something new...

John 20, "So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed...She turned to leave and saw someone standing there. It was Jesus, but she didn’t recognize Him. 'Dear woman, why are you crying?' Jesus asked her. 'Who are you looking for?' She thought He was the gardener. 'Sir,' she said, 'if you have taken Him away, tell me where you have put Him, and I will go and get Him.' 'Mary!' Jesus said. She turned to Him and cried out, 'Rabboni!'”

The story is written so that we can see their fear, their pain, their joy. I love it. The one disciple got their first. He ran hard and fast, yet he did not proceed into the tomb, but Peter went on into take a closer look. I can see how we approach our own search for Him in the same way. Some of us jump and start running. We proceed very fast with our journey in faith, but so often when something unexpected comes upon us, we pause and do not dare to get any closer. Yet, others travel much more slowly. (Probably no one has looked at this story and said that Peter was the more cautious one, but this is how I see it NEW today.) Their journey with their faith in Christ takes them time and they use caution and discernment, before they commit their lives to Him. Oh, but once they commit, their faith is strong and their commitment is everlasting. They become the determined ones, the one that do not waiver and the ones that proceed unhindered when the waves of life are upon them. Still others are passionate about their life with Him, but when life is hard we often do not recognize Him in the pain. We question everything and everyone, wondering how and why. But then, after He has allowed our questioning for a time, He looks at us, takes our face into His hands, and says, "Can you see Me now? I never left you."

Oswald Chambers, "It was not death on the cross that Jesus agonized over in Gethsemane. In fact, He stated very emphatically that He came with the purpose of dying. His concern here was that He might not get through this struggle as the Son of Man. He was confident of getting through it as the Son of God— Satan could not touch Him there. But Satan’s assault was that our Lord would come through for us on His own solely as the Son of Man...The agony in Gethsemane was the agony of the Son of God in fulfilling His destiny as the Savior of the world. The veil is pulled back here to reveal all that it cost Him to make it possible for us to become sons of God. His agony was the basis for the simplicity of our salvation. The Cross of Christ was a triumph for the Son of Man. It was not only a sign that our Lord had triumphed, but that He had triumphed to save the human race. Because of what the Son of Man went through, every human being has been provided with a way of access into the very presence of God."

This is not the same old story. This is the story of my salvation. This is the only way that any of us will ever be able to live forever. This is the only way that we have redemption. I am so thankful that He understands my pain, my weak humanness. I am so thankful that He paid my debt, so that I do not have to live in guilt and condemnation, separated from God forever. After you seek, you shall find. After you cry, you shall sing. After you feel the pain, He will heal. It is about listening to Him. Then, His story is new every day. It is all about the Birth, Death, and Resurrection of Christ. The question is, where are you in His story?

http://utmost.org/his-agony-and-our-access/