In a sermon last week our pastor said, “Don’t rush to the cross.” Out of context, this seems contrary to the “run to the cross” to find God, forgivenss and grace message. But this message was a reminder that sometimes we get in a hurry to celebrate the resurection of Christ, and we miss the important, and necessary, events that take us to that day. This has settled in my heart this week. I am guilty of rushing excitedly, like a child released into an Easter egg hunt field, to gleefully embrace the celebration of Easter, Resurection Day! But the days leading to the cross now sit deep in my thoughts. Today my three granddaughters left after visiting us for a few days. The days were filled with glorious chaos and when they left it was startling how quiet and still the house became. I let out a breath I did not even realize I was holding. Was that first Easter like that? From chaos to stillness…a breath holding pause most did not even know they held. A closed tomb….a waiting world. Here again is my Abigail…this memory will always take away my breath and fill my heart.
Abigail:
I’ve lost track of how many years ago it was, yet each Spring I can’t
help but recall my introduction to Abigail. I was a high school
science/Bible teacher for a small Christian school at the time. One of my
students was a football sized young man named Nick. He worked for a local
farmer who had offered him a young lamb to take home. Nick’s mom,
apparently destined for sainthood, not only allowed him to bring the lamb home,
but he got to keep it in his room! Early that Spring Nick brought photos
to share. To my amazement, there, wedged beside his bed and amid typical
teenage squalor, was a carefully built pen, complete with wood rails, chicken
wire and hay. Abigail the lamb had found a perfect home. Over the
next few weeks Nick would have numerous stories to tell of Abigail’s
antics. I couldn’t wait to see her for myself, so I invited Nick to bring
her to school one morning.
I ushered my entire class outside and we waited like giddy preschoolers
for Abigail’s arrival. I am certain I will never be able to adequately
describe what I saw that day. I will do my best. We watched as Nick
emerged from his vehicle with Abigail cradled in his big burly arms. We
stood transfixed by the sight of what can only be inadequately referred to as “precious”.
Her pure, white coat seemed almost translucent, radiating light under the
bright blue, cloudless sky. Her tiny nose was a perfect, pink
velvet triangle perched just above her little pink mouth. As
I placed my hand on her sweet little head, she looked at me. I found
myself staring into the depths of clear, brilliant blue eyes. I realized
I had been holding my breath in awe. We were expecting to see a cute
lamb, somewhat off white in color. I had not considered that, unlike the
lambs at the local petting zoo, Abigail had been living in a clean, loving,
environment. After everyone had made Abigail’s acquaintance, Nick left to
return her home and we settled back into Bible class.
We soon realized the relevance of Abigail’s visit as we continued our
study of Passover. The original Passover took place when Moses was
leading the Israelites out of Egypt. God instructed them to mark their
door post with the blood of a male lamb. This was to protect them from
the final plague which was the death of all first born in any home not so
protected. (Exodus 11&12) The yearly commemoration of this event required
the father to select the best, blemish free lamb and set it apart for the
Passover…four days prior to the celebration. My students and I began to
consider something quite startling. There was a good chance that the lamb
would have been brought into the house or yard during that time. This
perfect little lamb, probably as precious and sweet as our Abigail, may have
clamored under their feet while they did chores, fed out of their hands and
shared a living area. After four days, this lamb, which by now had become
even more precious to the family, was to be sacrificed. Suddenly
one can imagine the cries of the children, the quite sob of their mother, the
sorrow in the eyes of the father who knows a blood sacrifice is required.
For the first time, since meeting Abigail, we could truly envision
the “sacrificial lamb” of the Scriptures.
The continued observance of Passover was a powerful object lesson for
generations of Israelites. Every family member would be reminded not only
of God’s protection and provision when He freed them from slavery, but also of
the cost…the blood of their most precious lamb. This Easter we consider
the final sacrifice. Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, perfect and precious
beyond description, was sacrificed for our sin. Many movies and videos
have stirred the heart of man as they depict the brutal crucifixion of our
Christ, yet none can compare to the vision of Abigail. As we celebrate our
freedom from sin and death through the resurrection of our Lord, let’s never
forget the cost. Praise God His love and grace make us worthy of such a
sacrifice!
1 Peter 1:18-19
“Knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like
silver or gold…but with precious blood, as a lamb unblemished and spotless, the
blood of Christ.”
Tuesday With Teri 