What's a BAD Day?

Do you ever have a "bad day?" You know what I'm talking about. Your alarm doesn't go off or you hit snooze that one time too many. Your toaster burned the last poptart. You forgot to go to the ATM and are scrounging in the seats of the car for change. Someone cuts you off and WAVES at you, like that makes it okay. You hit every light as it turns red. Your hair is doing "that thing" again and there is no fixing it. You get trapped behind a school bus. Or TWO. Your cell phone is ringing constantly and when you get to it- someone in India wants to sell you something, but you aren't sure what because their accent is too thick.

You getting the picture? So then you either throw a pity party (Black crepe chains in your head to match the black cake- licorice flavor cause you are DROWNING in the self-pity.) or you're one of THEM. You know who- the people who get ticked OFF when things go downhill fast. They slam their car doors. They scowl at you when you smile at them in passing. When asked how they are, they snarl "Don't Ask!' and then proceed to take you step by step through their misery. Please tell me you aren't either of these. I have been both on occassion. It's not pretty. But here's where I make a point.

 Imagine you started with the most incredible life ever- no worries for yourself at all. In the most perfect and happy surroundings ever- actually beyond your imagining. Then you see how evil and corrupt the world is. Imagine it breaks your heart to see how we all treat each other. (and it really should) We fight, bicker, yell. Some pysically beat their children and spouses. Others beat their souls with words like "stupid," "useless," "pest". Worse things like "I wish you'd never been born." Some people kill their children in a fit of rage, for no reason other than they can. Some don't even wait until they are born to do it and tear them brutually from their bodies. Husbands and wives pledge to love until death and then divorce before a year's out. People kill each other for sports shoes, expensive clothes, over jealousy or because they didn't like the way you looked at them. Unbelievable, huh?

Now, imagine that this hurts you so much you can't even bear to look on these people. Because they are your children. You  created them from dust and no matter how many chances you give them, they just keep blowing it. So great is their sin that there is no sacrifice great enough to blot it out... but wait, there is one. It's too horrific a sacrifice for any mortal to ever make, but no mortal could. God saw this. He watched his beloved creations falling back into sin every single time they vowed eternal obedience. They are too weak to be sinless and too sinful to God to bear to even LOOK upon. So, God, in infinite wisdom and perfect grace decided to send his son- his only child, one part of the Godhead to earth to be born into human flesh. To be born subject to the temptations we face every day and to live the only ever perfect life- free from all sin. And then, when He had shown us exactly how to live, including being baptised when he himself was without sin, He allowed Himself to be ridiculed, tortured, beaten and humiliated. All while He was in human form. Where he was able to feel fear, horror and excrutiating agony. And in this human body of flesh and blood and emotions he was taunted, beaten bloody and battered, had a crown on thorns pushed down onto his head in mockery and oh, such pain. He had himself stripped and his clothes gambled for. His beloved apostle stood and denied him 3 times. A disciple He loved sold His life for 30 paltry pieces of silver and then he was NAILED to a cross in the stead of a murderer. This all happened to Our Lord and savior, who wept bitter tears in Gethsemane and asked that this cup might be taken away, ONLY if it be God's will. But He knew it wouldn't be. It coudn't if mankind were ever to be reconciled to God. This son, this part of God could have called down 12 Legions of Angels to free him.  ( that is 12 times between probably 400-600, possibly up to 1000 angels per Legion) Yet he did not. He prayed for those who crucified him. He promised the thief who called on His name that he'd be in paradise that night. He cried out for God. He said "I thirst" at which time they gave Him vinegar on a hyssop- and this fulfilled the last prophecy regarding His death.

All this pain, suffering, false accusations, and humiliation was suffered for you. And me. And every sinner living and yet to be born. You might want to think about that the next time you start to complain about your "BAD DAY."  It's all relative. Remember to thank Him and not let one drop of that precious blood be wasted. Work for the drops shed for you. He still loves us.