I've been thinking. I know, I know... I shouldn't do that. LOL. I learned something recently. I'm quoting a Pastor. I don't even know his name, but the word he brought was so dramatic that I can't stop thinking about it. He was speaking from the latter chapters of Matthew... when Jesus was in the garden of Gethsemane and he gave some clarity about the cross. I knew what he was saying as I've heard it all of my life, but for some reason it resonated with me differently that night and won't leave my spirit. I mean, it isn't new information. I've heard it before I even sang about it in a song, called "AnyWay"... So I understood the message.
Anyhoo... he was talking about the sacrifice that Christ made for this world. He spoke about the reluctance that Christ had to being crucified. But his reluctance didn't have to do with dying or even the suffering. His reluctance had to do with being out of the presence of God. The only he couldn't deal with was God turning his back on him. That was why he cried out to God from the cross in Matthew 27... "Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. 46And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" God turned his back on Jesus. He removed him from his presence. He put Jesus through the experience of being out of the presence of God - so that we would never have to be. God had a choice - either let Jesus face this for three days, or let mankind face it for all eternity. He chose us over Jesus. I chose to make this personal... God chose me over Jesus. He allowed his Son to suffer the pains of death (separation from God) so that I will never have to. I have trouble not tearing up when I think about this. God loves me more than I understand... probably more than I will ever understand. I've been told that I should be speaking the word God as well as singing it. After seeing that brother minister... I'm ready to do whatever God has for me. When it comes to God the father, I'm down for whatever. I'm a yielded vessel. Whatever God's plan is for my life... God's will be done.
Curt
"Living This Dream"
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