Sonrise

Why is God, the source of all unconditional love, painted out to be the harshest of taskmasters? The truth is, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” John 1:14. God came to reveal His character to a universe that had lost sight of its center; to set right an equilibrium gone askew. God is not to blame for Lucifer’s choices. God is not to blame for Adam and Eve’s choices. God is not to blame for our choices, yet, He assumes personal responsibility for this “train-wreck” we call planet earth.

If anything could take away the collective breath from all life above earth and below – it must have begun with the words uttered from the prophet Micah, “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times."

From Isaiah, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

And fulfilled in Matthew 1:20, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."

The Sovereign Lord of all chose to become flesh and blood who never accessed His divine power except to heal where there was disease, impart light where there was darkness and offer love in exchange for hate. God’s assumption of responsibility extended beyond His birth into adulthood, a shining example of a life reflecting the principles His own hands wrought. Creatures of this earth and beyond beheld its God utter words like, “"I am the vine; you are the branches.” John 15:5 and “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.” John15:9. He surprised them with, “I no longer call you servants... Instead, I have called you friends"15:15, “You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you” 15:3 and “…for the Father Himself loves you” 16:27.

And then, after those precious words of life and truth were uttered over the course of 3 and half years, the apple of God’s eye took out a contract with Roman officials to issue His death decree. God was placed on a cross, not as a bloody sacrifice for Himself, (it is not the desire of the Father, Son, or Holy Spirit of anyone’s blood, Micah 6:7) but rather, He laid His life down willingly for His friends in order to show the end result of a rebellious heart that rejects life. In His death, God demonstrated where a mind that enjoys Satan’s lies will find his or her end and it is not at the hand of God.

God’s body was prepared and buried in a borrowed grave and yet, the earth could not contain Him. He rose before dawn (John20) with not a trumpet sound, or angel’s choir but quietly and gently, in the cool of the morning. So humble was His resurrection that even when Mary ran to the tomb only to find it empty, would turn to God Himself, mistaking Him for the gardener and inquire, “"Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away." John 20:15. What kind of a God is this?! Do we understand the full impact of how God could rise from death without some sort of grand public ceremony?

Acts 1 records God’s final moments as a man on earth. Set among friends, Jesus ascended in a cloud of angels who encouraged the on looking men with these parting words, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven." And Jesus will reappear on each human heart that yearns for Him, just as they said, humbly and quietly in that soul’s resurrection morning