Shifting Our Gaze

Hey. 

This week is probably my favourite week in the entire year: Easter Week.

Last week I got a long, long text from some people... warning me about how "Easter" is a pagan word and how we are not supposed to say "Happy Easter" but "Happy Passover"

And that chocolate eggs should be scorned upon (or probably killed with fiyah or something)

Really?

Firstly, I am a big believer that any chocolates you eat on Easter is calorie-free, since Jesus has died for us (and I will get stoned to death because of this sentence. Haha).

Seriously, who can hate this little guy? You get to eat it and it has a TOY... YES A TOY inside!

And I have heard some people doing seminars... for HOURS to discuss the terminology of Easter (and how bad it is).

Sometimes the thing that distract us the most are the things that look harmless and somewhat "holy".

But Jesus did not bled for Easter terminology. At least I don't think so.

I was walking down to the hospital today when I say a man, covered in burnt scar, begging on the side of the road on a 28 degrees day.

Jesus bled for him. 

Jesus' focus was humanity - the fallen, disgusting, wrong of humanity.

He loves us in the most scandalous way - yet somehow we managed to put barrier and terminology around that LOVE.

Along the 33 years of Him walking the earth, He has pushed so much boundaries and norms and "traditions" to show us that extravagant love; the love that keep a prostitute breathing and give a bleeding woman back her humanity.

He loves us.

He loves us.

He loves us.

Passionately. Relentlessly. Fiercely.

And His love is culminated in this week, the week that ends with Jesus hanging between heaven and earth and conquering death.

A day that ended with the curtain of the Holy of Holies being ripped apart in two because He has waited for thousands of year to have that evening stroll with Adams and Eve (and somehow in my head I always feel like He need to show his love dramatically, like ripping stuff apart because He can't wait to get to us. I think it's just my girly brain working, but hey, Jesus created this girly brain, so yeah)

Because He can not wait to hold us in His arms and to make us whole.

So maybe, just maybe, we should stop bickering about the little stuff and shift our gaze to Calvary.

To be reminded of what it is all about.

"Does that mean," asked Mack, "that all roads will lead to you?" "Not at all," smiled Jesus..."Most roads don't lead anywhere. What it does mean is that I will travel any road to find you.” 

― Wm. Paul Young- The Shack