Jesus knew...and He went to the cross to save us all anyway

Think about your personal history. Are there rough patches you would love to forget? Are there things you have done that absolutely tear at your heart? You know what I mean--those chapters of your story you wish you could erase and never think about again. Of course you have those things. We all have those things. No matter how hard we try, we can’t wash those things away. We still have the scars or the memories or even the pain.
The amazing thing is, Jesus knew we would stumble through difficult obstacles. He knew we would fail Him.
Jesus knew about the inflated resume to get that dream job.
He knew about looking the other way after witnessing something that needed to be reported.
He knew about harboring hatred toward a person who committed a minor offense.
He knew about being too arrogant to offer an apology when it was needed to mend a relationship.
He knew about the items stolen from friends or family members.
He knew about the passing of harsh judgement without knowing the full story.
He knew about the incident no one in the family wants to talk about.
He knew about that little white lie that turned into a major crisis.
He knew about the illegal substances hidden deep in a drawer.
He knew about the adulterous relationship.
He knew about the doctored books that boosted profits.
He knew about the harbored rage that encouraged murder.
He knew about the jealously that led to slander.
He knew about the gossip that purposely ruined reputations.
He knew about the power trip that led to the ill-treatment of coworkers.
He knew about the self-centeredness that made family and friends feel forgotten.
He knew about all of the terrible things that humans can do and inflict upon each other, but He did it anyway.
He went to the cross. He became sin for us. He suffered the unbelievable humiliation and indescribable pain, and He willingly bore the punishment. He did it so none of us would have to suffer. He made a way for us to be reconciled to the Father.
He knew our evil deeds would keep us from a loving relationship with our Creator, so He fixed it. He took care of the indictment, the conviction and the incarceration. We do not have to face any of that.
Our death sentence was erased on the third day when Jesus stepped out of the tomb. The Bible is clear, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” There’s no better news than that!
I am so incredibly thankful for what Christ has done for me. I don’t deserve His love. I don’t deserve a second glance, muchless a second chance. Or third. Or fourth. Or five hundred and twenty-seventh. I am so grateful my mistakes can’t and won’t cancel the unconditional love Christ showers upon me even in my rebellion. I am so glad He can smooth the rough patches!
Our stories are not over! The Resurrection proves there are more chapters to be written. The empty tomb proclaims victory over our first, rough drafts. The coming Savior embodies hope toward the final edition.  We don’t have to wallow in the aftermath of our mistakes forever.
The Creator of the universe wants to continue writing and re-writing our messy stories. Will we goof up again along the way? Probably. Most likely. Any good story requires editing throughout the creative process. But, we do not have to fear. Our eternity is secure because our Savior spent a couple of nights in a borrowed tomb (I love that He just borrowed the tomb--He only needed it for a bit).
As our stories continue, we can’t spend our time trying to sanitize the past nor can we ignore it. It happened. However, because of the Resurrection, we can move on. Grieve if needed, but move on. And learn. Allow your mistakes to help you grow. Allow the Writer/Editor to polish your story. Forgive. Love. Live. Jesus was too precious a gift for less.
(Editor’s note: Darla Brantley was asked by the Journal-Record to pen a guest column for our first edition following Easter. We think she has done an outstanding job, and we appreciate her contribution greatly. Darla just so happens to be JR Sports editor and Staff writer Luke Brantley’s mother. She is also a teacher at Haleyville High School. She is married to Jeff, and Luke has a younger sister, Robin. Thank you, Darla!)