A Willing Sacrifice

Part of the fear of death is not knowing when it will come. No one comes into this world with an expiration date. That moment can come suddenly, or at the end of a long, productive life. 
We could exit at many different off ramps. Illness. Accident. War. Murder. Or suicide. No one wants to contemplate that moment.
Yet Jesus knew. He alluded to His death when He invited listeners to “take up your cross and follow me.” He spoke of the temple being destroyed and “in three days” being raised up again. His teaching was peppered with references to the things the Son of Man would suffer.
But no one paid attention. They focused on the miracles, the teachings and the authority by which He spoke. So when His hour of trial and death arrived, they didn’t know how to handle it. The disciples scattered. Peter lied and denied. The crowd that followed Him so ardently turned against Him and called for His execution. Few walked with Him to Golgotha.
The thought of death is sobering. We don’t view it as our mission in life. But Jesus did. He knew death was coming, with all of its horrors, and He knew what it would mean to the world. He faced it with courage, grace and determination. A willing sacrifice. The ultimate gift of love.
 
Next Steps...
I will find one thing I can do for someone this week that costs me something (time, money, emotional energy, etc).