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—Hazel Rice, Lt. Colonel –
Can you imagine the ecstasy in that tomb on Easter morning before the stone rolled away! As Jesus revived and opened his eyes, he called out, “Good morning, Father! I’m alive and well. I’ve done what you sent me to do, and I’ll soon be coming home.”
An immediate answer came from above: “Oh, Son! My joy! My very life! How wonderful to hear your voice again! I can hardly wait until you are once more at my side. Yes, you completed your mission, and I’m so pleased with you.
“Son, you know how I hated to ask you to do what only you could do. The verdict was ‘He who sins must die,’ and to fulfill the law, a lamb without spot or blemish had to be sacrificed as an offering for the sins of the people. You had to become that lamb because you were the only one without spot or blemish of sin; everyone else has sinned.
“I dearly love the people I’ve made and I want them all to be free from their sin and be able to come and live with us forever. And now that is possible! Because you became that sacrifice, those who believe in you and confess their sins will be forgiven and ready for heaven.”
“Yes, Father, this makes me happy too. But I’m glad it’s over! The physical pain was almost beyond endurance, but the hardest part was being rejected by you. It seemed that when I needed you the most, you turned your back on me.”
“Son, my heart was breaking as I heard you call to me, but you know that as you hung on that cross, you carried the sins of the world with you and I had to forsake you until the sacrifice was complete.
“But now, hurry up and get out of that ‘death box;’ go and encourage your disciples, and then come on home! I’ll be waiting with open arms!”