good friday

I came across this you tube video on one of my professor's blog and appreciated that I was forced to stop and reflect on this season of remembering Christ's death. Quite a juxtaposition to watch these scenes of The Passion of the Christ to the song "How Beautiful". But there is such beauty here, unspeakable beauty. It's a reminder that the Christ I confess is not a story, not a myth, not a metaphor, but a reality. The world was broken, and his life, death and resurrection make it possible for us to be healed and restored to fellowship with God. If you'd like to watch the video, you can see it here: How Beautiful is the Passion of Christ.

We just studied atonement in my theology class, and I came away with such a full understanding (and still so many questions) of what it means to be atoned by Christ's death. In this act, there is justification, a penalty paid for our sin, sacrifice, forgiveness, mercy, reconciliation, redemption, an example for life, and triumph over darkness. Each aspect of what atonement means reveals more of the beauty inherent in it. What little I do understand causes me to love God more fully and more completely and to be more convinced than ever that there is no other way toward Him than through Christ.