Gut-Wrenching Sacrifice

As Easter approaches, I find myself thinking over and over again about the number of sacrifices connected to this holiday.

God gave His ONLY Son.  

I am a mom to only one child.  I connect with God in this way.  And if you have children in your life, too, it doesn't matter the number, you can sense the sacrifice that God must have experienced.  As a mom, I can feel in my gut (and maybe you can, too) the deep pain that must have been felt by God, knowing the pain His Son was going to go through while dying on the cross.  

Jesus WILLINGLY gave His life.

Jesus loves me...ME! (silly, outgoing, stay-at-home mom - ME! - who likes Goodwill and random things like hamloaf and hot summer days and serving others and ballet and Shawshank Redemption and does NOT like spiders and brussel sprouts and the many injustices in this world)...and you...YES, YOU!...Jesus loves you enough to have died in an extremely painful way.  He sacrificed His own life for us.  My sins...your sins...our sins are washed away by the blood He shed. 

Jesus PUT ASIDE His earthly desires.

He sacrificed the things of this world.  The relationships he had with His earthly mother, Mary, and father, Joseph.  The relationships with his family, his disciples, his friends, his neighbors.  I'm not a deeply theological person, so I may not get all of the details correct...but I do know that in a human, earthly sense, He sacrificed a career, a home, hobbies and interests.  He sacrificed fame and attention.  He sacrificed wealth.  And in giving up everything, He gained everything.  For you and for me.  Because He loves us.  

*Would I sacrifice like this?  

*Give up all of this?  

*Do I sacrifice like this?   

*Place my own desires aside for others, and more importantly, for God's glory?  

Christ's example is convicting.  Oh, to be more and more like Him!  Thank you, Jesus, for your example.

I'm sure there are more examples of sacrifice in the Easter story.  But these three examples have really struck me this year, have really touched my heart in an extra special way.  

And on a slightly different note...but still connected to sacrifice....

As an adoptive momma, the word "sacrifice" and its definition and emotions behind it really resonate with my heart.  I can't help but feel deeply about the sacrifice that our daughter's birthmother made in choosing to give our daughter LIFE.  She willingly put her own desires aside and invited us to become the parents of her daughter.  Our daughter.  Her example to me and to Mya are a beautiful picture of sacrifice, and I pray that her heart can continue to heal each day and that God would bless her abundantly.

Let me take a moment to remind you:  It's never too late...you're never too old...to begin your journey with Jesus.  

I invite you to begin learning more about Him today.  And if you can, please join us on Sunday morning at Faith Church to worship, honor, and learn more about God and Jesus this Easter Sunday.  All are welcome.  We'd love to have you!