A long time ago, back in the last century, there was a federal treasurer who once said of the then state of the Australian economy, “This is the recession we had to have.” There was plenty of debate over that statement as economists, bankers and financial experts all offered their various opinions. And opinion was sharply divided in a, roughly, 50-50 split. A recession we had to have? Nobody enjoys the effects of recession on the national economy, it is never pleasant. But was it necessary? Who knows? I’m no expert in these matters.
There are some unpleasant life experiences that are unavoidable, yes, some of which we have to have. We cannot avoid them. We must experience them and move through. From boyhood I remember dreading exams at school – exams I had to have and which would determine whether or not I had learned anything. Going to the dentist was another experience I had to have if I wanted good dental health. I’m sure you can think of many other examples of experiences we have to have, which aren’t fun, or situations we need to experience which are not pleasant, but necessary. Some not so important, others are very important.
Almost 2000 years ago the world experienced the first Easter – and it was the Easter we had to have. Without the Easter we had to have, the world would have remained in darkness, sin and despair. That first Good Friday, as we have come to call it, was horrific, brutal and bloody in the extreme. There was no avoiding it. God planned it. We had to have it.
Romans 5:6
“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.”
At just the right time …
As we approach Good Friday this week and reflect on why Christ trekked to the cross after His final week of earthly ministry, and how He died so terribly, let us also realise that it had to happen … It had to!
Mark 14:21 “The Son of Man will go just as it is written about Him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! …"
It had to happen …
We are humbled on Good Friday as we gratefully worship, moved so deeply that our Saviour died for our sins before we ever even knew him. But we do need to realise it had to happen. A holy and righteous God could never leave things as they were, stained by sin and sickness – with death the ultimate consequence of it all … A loving and merciful God could never abandon us, write us off, or consign us to eternal darkness – this is the opposite of His character.
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son …”.
And so, at just the right time we had the Easter we had to have … and this week we “relive” it in various memorial ways as we worship, give thanks, fellowship with other Easter pilgrims and reflect ...
We have to …
You are loved, loved by the Father.
Ps Milton