The Unexpected

As a child raised in a Christian home, I have always known the meaning of Easter.  It was the day Jesus died on the cross for my sins.  He rose three days later from the grave.  Such an amazing story and one that I could tell, even at a young age. However, I have learned that this year it has new meaning to me.

I wrote earlier about my desire to read my bible in its entirety and my growth as a believer (Not Another Resolution and Growth That Isn't In Words.)  What I didn't know when I wrote either of those posts, is exactly how I would be transformed by what God is doing in my life this year.  Some of the things I notice are so small, but some of them are enough to roll over and over in my mind.  That is what this is about.

I have been reading the old testament about the time before God's people entered the promised land.  At the time of beginning this story I thought that I would take notice of what it was that they did for 40 years.  However, I was caught off guard that the thing that constantly stuck in my mind is the number of chapters in the bible that tell the correct sacrifice that is to be given for each and everything you could imagine.  I have to admit that at one point of it getting rather repetitive,  I found myself wondering why I was reading this part that says the same thing over and over again if it doesn't apply to me.  It wasn't even at that time that I realized what my thought meant.  In fact, it was weeks of reading and reading before I even remotely thought about the text I was going through.

As I continued to read this past week, I began to think of the next holiday that is upon us, Easter. Then it slowly began to hit me.  The text about the sacrifices, why I was so bothered by reading over and over again about the sacrifices God called his people to make.  OH MY!!!  The phrase, "The Ultimate Sacrifice" took on a whole new meaning to me.  God sent his son to replace every one of the sacrifices I am reading about.  To be the ultimate sacrifice.  The ultimate, pleasing, sacrifice for our wrongs.  The ultimate path to a forever relationship with our Lord.

My believe that Jesus died on the cross for me was, by no means, a little thing to me.  I know that he saved me.  I know that I have eternal life because of him.  However, I don't think I ever realized the whole sacrifice part of this story.  I knew that sacrifices were a part of old testament life.  I guess it was one of those moments when someone could have looked at me and seen the light bulb above my head go on.  I had carried this knowledge with me for so many years.  Knowing that it was important and even finding that it is part of the foundation of my faith. But only then, realizing just how all the t's got crossed and how all the i's got dotted.

As I said, the Easter story is one that I knew, and one that I appreciated.  My Lord allowed his son to die on a cross for my sins.  However, I must say that as am reading through the old testament  I find that I am struck at just what was done. My heart now has a deeper understanding of exactly what Jesus did that day on the cross.

I think that as I continue to read through the bible this year, I will continue to take note of unexpected things.  I find that it is in the unexpected that I find the most joy in what I have discovered.