Good Friday ~ Passion for Christ

Isa. 53:5-6 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

It comes as no surprise that as I wake and rejoice in the day, the day that the Lord and Savior died for me, the world goes on in its ignorant, hate-filled manner.

I remember when I was eight years old and my grandmother passed away. I thought the world stopped when someone died. “How can the cars be going down the street? How can people not know my grandmother died? Why does everyone ignore her death?”

It was pretty easy to figure out. They didn’t know her. They knew of her but didn’t know her or the sacrifices she made to her grand-kids even as she suffered with cancer. I see now why people act the same way they normally act even though they know this is the day that Jesus died for us. They know OF Him but don’t allow their lives to stop or change BECAUSE OF Him.

This is seen in the morning’s traffic, the morning twitterfeed, the daily facebook posts; nothing has changed and everyone is still the same person they were when they went to sleep the night before. The only thing that changed was the day. It’s a new day, it’s a Friday, same old same old.

Just as I had a passionate love for my grandmother, I also have a passion for Christ. Sometimes this scares people, intimidates them or has them so filled with guilt they steer clear of this ‘crazy lady who is TOO passionate for Christ’. Too passionate? Imagine that.

I am not different than you; I love, I hurt, I cry, I laugh but to me there is so much more to living and breathing that I can’t and won’t allow any ounce of hate to exude from my body. What kind of Christian would I be if I looked at today just as any other day; a person who knows OF Him but doesn’t allow a portion OF Him to seep from my veins?

I won’t apologize for my passion for Christ, just as you shouldn’t be concerned with NOT being passionate for Christ. We’re all allowed free will and what we do is different in all ways shapes and forms.

I’m not popular because of my love for Christ, as a matter of fact I think I’m UNpopular because of my love for Christ. Again, I won’t apologize for my ways because my ways are not your ways.

I look at today as a small sacrifice of not doing what I’d normally do and throw off all mundane chores or actions and focus, focus on Christ who did more than ‘just’ sacrifice His very life for me. Yes me!

He suffered, He bled, He cried in pain, He writhed and squirmed as he was beaten and finally He was hammered with long nails to a cross, for me! If I’m passionate about Christ it is because I understand that while the world goes on after someone dies, the world goes on after His death also, but I feel as if I’m there crying at His feet awaiting for Him to rise up in three days. My grandmother never had the chance to rise up and forgive my sinful nature, only Christ could do that and He DID! What’s not to be passionate about?

I think of a time when Jesus was making his way to the hillside to be hung. I think of all the people cheering and screaming out, “Crucify him!” I would be the woman who makes her way through the crowd and approaches this Messiah and offer Him a towel to dry his brow and wipe his face offering him water to drink.

While Jesus had believers standing in the crowd, some never claimed to know him. Some stood in the background and looked on, while others were weeping. I never was and never will be one who walks with the crowd, I will always be the one who goes against the grain and does something unexpected. This is who I am.

While the earth shakes and trembles at His words, ‘It is finished’, I am unmoving and waiting at His feet. I’m not surprised that others are not as passionate about Him, it has been going on for centuries and nothing has changed. The world still goes on and we live for the next highlight of a posting day, all because they know OF Him but won’t be changed BY Him.

Matt. 26:40-41 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?

Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.