Why Didn't He Save Himself?

"You bragged that you could tear down the Temple and then rebuild it in three days - so show us your stuff! Save yourself! If you're really God's son, come down from that cross!"

-Matthew 27:40 - the Message

So why didn't he save himself? Why didn't Jesus, through God's power, get down from the cross - it seems like if he had everyone would have believed then. As I read this today, it was brought in a totally new light. If Jesus would have been saved, there's a good chance I'd "know," but not really "know."

Not sure if that makes sense, so here's an illustration I came up with. I can't tell you how many times I've told Reagan not to push her chair away from the table (with her feet.) We've easily been telling her this for 6 months, but she continues. She briefly realized we may be right because she almost tipped her chair backwards and fell the other day. There was a look of shock in her eyes - or as I'd like to refer to it, "Man, they were right." It's just another example of touching the hot stove. We can tell our children so many times, but sometimes until they experience it for themselves they don't really "know."

We need to experience God, not just hear the stories! If God had allowed Jesus to get down from the cross and "show them," faith wouldn't matter near as much as it does because people would be passing along an "I was there" story. You'd have "faith" in what others were saying, but not in the face that Jesus is God's son, raised from the dead after dying for me! Jesus was crucified and scoffed at and later died on the cross. He wasn't spared. God knew what he was doing. (Which is ALWAYS the case!!) He knew that we would really come to know him, not as a story, but as a father, friend, counselor - the list goes on. It's kind of like having a pen pal. You write and communicate and read and get to know each other that way. There is anticipation in getting the next letter and one day meeting this person. The cool thing about God is that he's written us a letter - the Bible. It is just now, that I am almost 30, that I am starting to take the time to actually read this letter. I'm telling you, in the same stories that I've read and heard 100 times, he is revealing new things to me. I know that if you ask God to reveal himself to you, he will. And even cooler is that one day - I get to meet him! How amazing!

If you haven't taken the time to really read the Bible, you should. Even if it takes you 2+ years (as it will for me). God is there and just wants you to know him - not just hear the stories. Read them, experience God in a new light. He'll reveal himself to you like you've never experienced!

Man - God is good. I am feeling renewed today, which is what I really needed! Thanks God, for revealing yourself to me and putting things in a new light. I am so thankful that Jesus died so I could experience you!