Sunday, January 23, 2011

They Stood at a Distance

I wrote this January 20, 2004

“It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.

“The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.” When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away.

“But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things . . .” (Luke 23:44-49)


I wonder if the scene of the friends watching their Loved One on the Cross looked something like this:
“WHAT is happening?”
“Shouldn’t we do SOMETHING? Let’s take out the guards and rescue him from this pain!”
“Look at the pain He is in! Oh the anguish on his face! See how the blood of his wounds falls down his body . . .”
“WHY is He doing this . . .”
“Oh, I wish I could have taken His place. I wish I could have died for Him!”
“Wow . . . I didn’t know He loved us that much!”
“I think I finally understand . . .”
“I think I finally know why He came . . .”
“It all makes sense now – everything He did, everything He said. It was to bring us into a different kingdom! He was real! He was true! He HAD to die to open the door so we could enter into the other realm – the other paradise! I KNOW NOW WHY HE CAME!”

And yet I imagine there were some of his closest friends that stood there and observed everything without saying a word. Because there are some things, some moments in time, some scenes you observe, and live through as they become history that words cannot begin to describe . . .

This occasion – this monumental & awesome act – was one of those times.

And it’s one of those times that reminds me – I need to be one of His closest friends, who stands back, takes it all in and finally let it hit home – the core of who I am – that the entrance into my world, the lessons He taught, the message He delivered and the act He did by laying down His life – was – IS – for none other than -- me.

And all I can say is nothing . . . I’m too am in awe of what He did.