There is a story that a forest ranger in Yellowstone found a
bird carcass after a fire, knocked it over, and out ran three baby chicks that
were protected by the mother bird's sacrifice of her own life. It makes a great
illustration of what true sacrifice is all about - one willing to lose his or
her life for someone else.
Only problem with the story is that it is apparently not
true, at least as it has been spread. Supposedly the story was in a National
Geographic, but a search of the magazine and asking the Park Rangers turns up
nothing. Yep, it is disappointing, but all hope is not lost. True sacrifice
does exist.
Let me tell you something about sacrifice that is true; Matthew
27:45 – 46 records, “From about the sixth hour until the ninth hour
darkness came over all the land. About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud
voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have
you forsaken me?” This is of course a record of what happened when Jesus was
dying on the cross.
We often think of the great sacrifice the Lord made by dying
for our sins to be forgiven. We think about His burden of the sins, or the torturous
death he endured. We know how much it must have hurt to have his disciples run
away. But perhaps the greatest part of the whole sacrifice was the separation from
the Father these verses spotlight. For a period of time the Trinity connection
was somehow disconnected. For the first time in His life and in eternity Jesus didn't have that incomprehensible unity and fellowship. The agony of those
moments was beyond anything else He endured – and He did it for you!
Will you ignore Him and the sacrifice or bow in worship and adoration because of the
love He showed?
The Circuit ‘Riter, Michael Ullrich
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