Have you ever created something you were really proud of? Our God is, by nature, beyond our ability to describe or comprehend – but one way to think of Him is as a powerful, passionate and compassionate creator making our wondrous world. We know from the book of Genesis that He was proud of His creation: “And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.” (Genesis 1:31)

But when His creation was broken (sadly, we know why), God wanted to set it right, just as any artistic human creator wants what he or she produces to reach and retain perfection: a painting, a sculpture, a quilt, a symphony, a play, a choreographed dance work, a building, a movie, a novel. So God chose the best way to restore His artistic masterpiece, which includes us, His fallen creatures. He sent His only Son, both human and divine, to return His flawed creation to the wholeness of its original perfection.

The life and death of Jesus shows our creative God at work as our ultimate restoration artist. He is the master of putting back together what has gone awry, and He has enlisted us as His helpers in this urgent task. We know that great artists like Michelangelo had helpers. Dare we think of ourselves as the Lord’s helpers? Yes. Our Lord pours Himself out in generosity, sending His only Son to show us how to live. God gave us the example of a redeemer who lived for others, and who gave us the means to do so in His own words and actions. Then, to restore His creation to ultimate perfection, God sacrificed His only Son for our salvation. We share in His suffering, but we will also share in His glory. 

The cross of Jesus is the remedy for the world’s brokenness: sin, destruction, and death. Our God proves His love for us over and over again as Jesus is nailed to the cross for our sake. And as He willingly hangs on the cross, Jesus is restoring God’s wondrous creation to its original perfection. We, as participants in God’s great restoration, know that life with Christ does not end with the cross. We know the final chapter: the cross is empty because Christ has risen. The Lord is risen, the Lord is risen indeed. Thanks be to God.

God bless you!

Peggy