I Don't Get It, God

READ: JOHN 1:29; ROMANS 6:8-11; HEBREWS 10:1-25

I sat against my bunk bed. I had just realized that after being a believer for sixteen years, I didn’t understand Jesus.

I know this sounds strange—and trust me, it was. I was devastated and confused. I had put my trust in Jesus at five years old and faithfully served ever since. But I realized that I didn’t really understand the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross. I narrowed my questions down to the fact that I didn’t get why Jesus didn’t stay dead. I didn’t think it was fair. If the cost of sin is death (Romans 6:23), and we as humans would be separated from God’s presence forever if we didn’t receive His rescue, why didn’t Jesus have to do the same?

Yikes. Those are kind of scary statements. But they were big questions that I’d never asked…that I’d never heard anyone else ask. So, what did I do? I spoke to my Christian mentors. I read multiple books about the heart of Jesus. I spent a lot of time praying.

And I can confidently say that today, I feel close to Jesus. And I can personally testify to His unending, unfailing grace in a way I couldn’t before.

While it may feel uncomfortable to ask certain questions about our faith, it’s imperative if we ever want to grow. The Lord invites questions. James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”

And, by the way, the reason Jesus didn’t stay dead is because He completed the sacrifice. Before Jesus went to the cross, God’s people had to make repeated sacrifices for their sins. They had to use the best of their crops and animals for these sacrifices. But no sacrifice was perfect. Jesus? He’s perfect. And He loves us so much that He was willing to give up His life for us. Because Jesus is the sinless sacrifice, and He is God in flesh, He was able to take all our sin upon Himself, satisfying the righteousness of God. So, He completed the sacrifice once and for all. I like to imagine that He “broke the system.” And now we’re free. • Natty Maelle

• What questions do you have about your faith? Who is a trusted friend, parent, counselor, or pastor you could talk to about these questions? Remember, there are some questions we may never get answers to. After all, we’re humans trying to understand things on God’s level. How does that make you feel? Consider taking some time to talk to God about these feelings.

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. James 1:5 (NIV)