These days, a quick scan of Facebook, Pinterest or TV shows might convince you that the world is full of amazing things. Maybe some of those things really deserve to be called “amazing,” but most of them are not. They may be beautiful, fun, delicious, entertaining, amusing or any number of other colorful adjectives. However, the word “amazing” has been rendered almost meaningless through overuse.
At Palm Sunday service, we sang Chris Tomlin’s “Jesus Messiah.” I was singing, “His body the bread, His blood the wine, broken and poured out all for love. The whole earth trembled and the veil was torn. Love so amazing, love so amazing …”
And it hit me.
THAT’S what’s truly amazing!
It’s not the recipe I tried for dinner; or the movie I saw last week; or the latest episode of “Mad Men.” It’s not even the “blood moon” lunar eclipse, though I understand it was pretty impressive. “Amazing” won’t even describe my daughter’s wedding next year — although I am certain it will be joyous, beautiful and full of love.
The events we remember on Good Friday and Easter, Jesus’ death and resurrection for the forgiveness of sins — even MY sins — are truly amazing. That the Lord of heaven and earth would take on flesh and suffer a cruel death, then rise to life again so that I could be alive, not dead. So that I could be a child of God, not an enemy. That, my friends, is a wonder you never will comprehend.
“Amazing love, how can it be that Thou, my God, should die for me?”
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