The Bible on Trial

Endings and Beginnings~

Whenever there is a beginning there is and ending; and when there is an ending there often follows a new beginning.  A wonderful quote from Kermit the Frog as Bob Cratchet in the movie The Muppet Christmas Carol describes this situation perfectly: "Life is full of meetings and partings." Saying goodby to someone or something you love is difficult and often bittersweet, weven when you know that parting has purpose. Becky and I are now days away from saying goodby to our lovely cat Molly, who, as I mentioned previously, has cancer in her lower jaw, and is now starting to have difficulty swallowing. I have made a promise to all of our pets that we will take care of them in both life and death, and that they will never suffer needless pain. That time for Molly is almost here.

When I experience this type of bittersweet pain, knowing that we are doing the right thing for Molly but feel deeply about the loss of a friend that has been a part of our family for over 10 years, it reminds me of what God the Father experienced during the death of His Son Jesus. The Father and Jesus knew the ultimate outcome long before the action taken on that fateful day. What we experience when we must put a beloved animal down and what God experienced with Jesus is that while Molly will not be in pain during this process, but God could not prevent the pain and suffering His Son experienced before He executed Jesus in order to pay the penalty for the disobedience of His Kingdom. The Cross did not kill Jesus, the Father did, so that Jesus could save His Righteous Kingdom from the penalty imposed upon the Kingdom of God when Adam and Eve turned that Kingdom over to Satan in the Garden. Even though the outcome was sealed and sure, the pain was real for both the Father and the Son. 

we will have no more bittersweet partings if we choose obedience to the will of the Father, as did Jesus.