We have all seen them, the before and after pictures that accompany every ad trying to sell the newest weight loss program, or amazing cleaning product, or home makeover addition. I realized today that somewhere from the before to the after of our weight loss, or home makeover, or you fill in the blank, there is a great big "between".
This morning, as I decided to plant some beautiful fall mums and pansies, I discovered I would first have to do a lot of work raking, pulling, and digging. That is hard labor! "Why I'm not sure I'm up to that this morning", I thought to myself. I mean I want my yard to look like some in my favorite home magazine....you know clean, tidy, well-manicured, and teeming with fall colors spilling onto the garden walk. But raking? Weeding? Surely there is another way. You see, the great "between" was scaring me off.
That seems to be a running theme with me: a deep desire for the after without much thought of the great "between". Like this desire to live a healthy life at a healthy weight, the "between" often looks daunting and too demanding. But there is no "between" that I can think of that must have been more difficult than the "between" my Christ suffered through.
Heaping piles of guilt, sin, and blame all put on one guiltless, sinless, blameless Jesus. My guilt and yours. My sin and yours. My blame and yours. What was that "between" like for Him? What was that separation of a perfect man/God from His heavenly Father like? How great was the agony for this sinless Jesus to carry sin? And yet he did. He bore my sin and suffered the "between". This "between" was the most significant of all betweens. It had an after like no other.
Next time the "between" looks tough, I will remember....
One God's before and between, for the after of us all. Talk about makeover possibilities!
Matthew 28:6:"He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. "
Praise HIM!
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