Atonement

Merry Christmas!   Happy Holidays!

     Few people seem to be aware that Jesus appearance on earth and his departure was a well-executed plan. Looking at all the circumstances of his birth, life, death and consequent resurrection doesn’t look like much of a plot does it? The natural mind of man runs to common sense plots. Our lives are mundane because we plan it that way or someone makes those plans for us.

     Jesus entire life from beginning to end was God’s plan of salvation and a way for us to live uncommonly joyous and celebratory lives. Jesus said, "I came that ye may have life and more abundantly."  ( John 10 ) and ( reading from Isaiah) " …to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind (literally and spiritually), to set at liberty those who are oppressed…"

     God’s plan of redemption will never make sense to the natural mind of man. We have to see His plan outside of our own way of thinking in order to make any sense of it Jesus made himself perfectly clear to those who sought true salvation. These people recognized their wretched condition and knew they needed miraculous intervention. The religious people that Jesus addressed many times did not see themselves as wretched. They believed that their rituals were all the atonement they would ever need.

      The people who seek true salvation and follow the cross don’t have to make sense of it. Much the same as a drowning man does not take time to examine the rope that is thrown to him, this offer only needs to be acknowledged, grabbed with suddenness and held to tightly. The burden of sin must be laid at the foot of that cross. Excuses will not suffice. His offer on the cross was to eradicate the rebelliousness of our hearts against God’s law, laid down so many years ago. Jesus knows better than any that there was no other way. Otherwise, He had the power to stop His crucifixion and could have given up on the plan entirely. His sacrifice is what the love of God is all about. That’s why this verse that is well-known to the Christianized world is so packed with meaning:

 

God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son,

that whoever believes in Him should not perish

but have everlasting life.

For God did not send His Son into the world

to condemn the world,

but that the world

through Him

might be saved. 

 

Amities,Amicizia,Amicissimo,Wohlwollen!

The Castle Lady

 

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

A message for beatyfulattitude.spaces.live.com about Les Voyages en train  :

L’amour veritable est comme sparadrap, plus l’effort pour liberte’ d’ils poigne’es,

le plus pie’ger a` porte’e des les mains.

-Evelyn M. Wallace 12/15/07

 

 Madonna and Child by Giovanni Bellini at Brera in Milano