April 7, 2017 Brethren Letter

Dear Brethren,

I received an e-mail from one of our members a few years ago that I felt had some very excellent insight. Tonight, I want to share that letter with you (by permission), as we each prepare spiritually for the Passover.

Please have a good night’s rest everyone.

Your Brother in Christ,

Gary Liebold

 

Good morning.

As I was meditating this morning, concentrating on the sacrifice of Christ, my thoughts went in a direction that was quite different from any ever before. If you recall [a recent] conversation turned to how there are some things that we just never get over. We learn to live on, and function, but we are never the same as before. I know this was true after [a family member’s] death, how at times my heart just clenches with pain that is just as fresh as the night it happened, and sadness nearly overcomes me. Especially around the anniversary of her death. It is the same with any great loss. We have these human emotions, and that is part of what makes us human.

How does Christ feel at this time of the year? Even though He was God before, and is God now, during that time of His life, He was also human. During that time, He was completely abandoned by His friends and disciples. Where was His mother when He was being beaten? There is no mention of His siblings. And then there was the greatest horror of all, because His own Father turned away from Him. I can’t imagine the suffering that abandonment caused. It was surely more painful than the unthinkable beating He had gone through. I believe He remembers every terrible moment, and how could the memory not be painful for Him.

For the rest of this Holy day season, I want to concentrate on what all of this means, not just to me, but to the One who went through this. I can’t just accept His sacrifice, I need to understand what He must have gone through, not just physically, but in His mind as well. I don’t think He can go through this time of year without reliving those incredible moments.

I observe the Passover season every year, but I have always turned the spotlight on me, to examine myself. The spotlight has to be on Christ. As He sits by His Father, do they discuss this terrible time? How could they not?

I am so thankful for what He did for us. I really want to be aware of what this was like for Him, and how perfectly He went through it.