Today as I reflect on Easter one thought continues to occur for me. We have been studying Adam Hamilton’s 24 Hours That Changed the World. Having taught this bible study once before, I decided to do a sermon series regarding what we were studying. Somehow as I prepared the sermon series and with the study I was especially reminded that Jesus chose to lay down his life not just for the general sins of the world but for my sins.
I am truly humbled to think that he would love me so much to endure what he did. One statement that Adam put in his book was regarding Major Tammy Duckworth who was a helicopter pilot in Iraq. Her copter was shot down. Knowing that the insurgents would be coming, her fellow soldiers rather than leaving her rescued her despite her losing her legs. She is quoted as saying, “You have to get up every day and seek to live in such a way as to be worthy of that kind of effort and sacrifice.” Adam uses that to talk about the power of sacrificial love. “We are to look at the cross of Jesus and say, ‘I have to strive to live in such a way as to be worthy of that sacrifice.’ We are meant to be changed by the atonement and in turn practice sacrificial love toward others.” I hope that my life is such that Jesus finds it worthy of what he did for me. My prayer is that you would also find it to be inspiring of your life.
