This is something I have struggled over for a while - why Jesus had to die and why it is sufficient. In the meditation I felt that I just need to let go of this - turn it over to God. I have released my need to totally understand everything else about God; I need to let go of this too! God shows His God-ness by the perfectly loving act of sending Jesus to live here and to die for us, and Jesus lives out the perfectly loving life. Now that we have this love poured into us, we have this abundance which can flow out to those God puts around us.
I really appreciate what Arlene wrote. This whole story seems so contradictory to everything Jesus seemed to be teaching: that all the old rules of sacrifice and being in God's grace by one's works are no longer valid. And here is the ultimate story of sacrifice and paying with "Deeds" (death on the cross) for salvation. Too much to understand. So I guess I have to take this lesson from Arlene and let it go. Another of the great mysteries. Or maybe one of you bloggers can explain it to me.
You, Arlene and Rosalyn, have, in a way, put into words how I feel, too. There are many things I don't understand. I find it impossible to think that God abandoned Jesus. If anything, I can see that Jesus, as man, might have interpreted his life at that point being without God. Maybe this passage just gives us permission to feel deserted sometimes, only to find that God is really with us always. Am I guilty of too much rationalization?
Thanks, Bev, for the great words. Very helpful. Sort of the same idea we had in our conversation at the Circle meeting last Tuesday. God never abandons us. if anything we abandon God.
I don't consider what you have said as rationalization. I consider it profound.
This is something I have struggled over for a while - why Jesus had to die and why it is sufficient. In the meditation I felt that I just need to let go of this - turn it over to God. I have released my need to totally understand everything else about God; I need to let go of this too!
ReplyDeleteGod shows His God-ness by the perfectly loving act of sending Jesus to live here and to die for us, and Jesus lives out the perfectly loving life. Now that we have this love poured into us, we have this abundance which can flow out to those God puts around us.
I really appreciate what Arlene wrote. This whole story seems so contradictory to everything Jesus seemed to be teaching: that all the old rules of sacrifice and being in God's grace by one's works are no longer valid. And here is the ultimate story of sacrifice and paying with "Deeds" (death on the cross) for salvation. Too much to understand. So I guess I have to take this lesson from Arlene and let it go. Another of the great mysteries. Or maybe one of you bloggers can explain it to me.
ReplyDeleteYou, Arlene and Rosalyn, have, in a way, put into words how I feel, too. There are many things I don't understand. I find it impossible to think that God abandoned Jesus. If anything, I can see that Jesus, as man, might have interpreted his life at that point being without God. Maybe this passage just gives us permission to feel deserted sometimes, only to find that God is really with us always. Am I guilty of too much rationalization?
ReplyDeleteThanks, Bev, for the great words. Very helpful. Sort of the same idea we had in our conversation at the Circle meeting last Tuesday. God never abandons us. if anything we abandon God.
ReplyDeleteI don't consider what you have said as rationalization. I consider it profound.