The Most Wonderful of the Terrible Days

There was once a time when there was no blemish upon the hearts of men, not even a hint of shame or weakness. Humans lived in perfection, not straying from the God that had created them, not seeking the ways of darkness. Yet then came a day, a day when a temptation arose before them, and in a moment of foolishness, they gave in. They lost their innocence, their perfection, and instead gained a lifetime of toiling against the world and its evil ways. They turned their back on God, choosing their own wisdom instead of His, and from that day forward, the race of men has fought against their own weaknesses. Days come and go, and the battle rages on, and each day, the humans fall, unable to stand. It is their weakness, their foolishness, their distrust in everything but themselves. It is their lust for the pleasures of today, and their apathy and ignorance concerning the truths of tomorrow. They run from true and perfect love, instead taking shelter in the arms of the world, the very arms that will crush and suffocate them, not letting them go.

For thousands of years, this battle has raged. There is not a man alive today that can boast of righteousness, for even the purest of human hearts cannot completely resist the allure of the shadows. God stands upon the edge of Heaven and peers down upon his creations, seeking those to welcome into His home, His kingdom, allowing them to live among Him for the endless ages to come. Yet His search has found no results, for there is no man worthy of it. The hearts of men have been filled with evil, and such an evil will never enter the kingdom of Heaven, for it is a place of wonder, undisturbed by the world and its ways.

Yet should all of humanity be separated from God? Should they all perish for what they have done? God knew the truth, that each of them deserved death, and judgment, and to be separated from Him. It was what they had deserved; it was what they had earned. They each owed a debt too great to pay; only an eternity away from Him and His kingdom would suffice as payment. It was the fate each man deserved.

Yet then there came something that could not be believed, for God sent a part of his own being down to the Earth, and God Himself walked among the men and talked with them, teaching and preaching and healing. He lived as a man, yet did not give in to the weaknesses of the flesh, instead living perfectly and flawlessly, without even a single defect. No other man had ever walked upon the Earth in such a way, unswayed by the darkness of the world. He did not come simply to live, for God had a greater and grander plan, for there came a day when this man, God Himself, was captured by men, beaten, bloodied, and humiliated, and finally, hung from a cross for all to see. There his death was witness by the very people He came to love, and yet by His death, by the shedding of His blood, the ultimate price was paid for those who believed. For God held such a true and deep and perfect love for His world, that He came down from Heaven and walked among us, for He did not desire for us to perish. He offered himself as a sacrifice, completely and ultimately paying all debts, and all we must do is choose to accept it. The gift is given freely to those who believe, those who allow God to forgive the things they themselves could never erase. It is love that brought God to make this sacrifice, and it is love that brings us to choose to accept that sacrifice.

Thank you, God. I cannot repay what I have received, and I know I am utterly and unquestionably unworthy. Yet I run to you, burying myself in your love, and there I will remain, eternally yours.