Math and Passion

On November 7, 2000 as my son was approaching his 8th birthday, he stopped me in the middle of his homeschooling math lesson, obviously distracted.

"Mom, how can I know for sure that I am going to heaven and not to.... the other place?"

His eternal destiny. His life journey of faith. My heart leaped. I marked the page in the math book and set it aside. Our pastor had been speaking about heaven and it had obviously made an impression.

I told him of the Easter story, the passion of Christ. In taking upon Himself the sin of the world, He makes it possible for us to be reconciled to God and spend eternity with Him. All we need to do is accept His free gift of salvation and trust Him with our life. Do you know Him?

He prayed a simple prayer with me to do just that. The following summer he was baptised. It was my best homeschooling lesson.

When he asked me on Sunday why they call it the "passion" week, I was unable to give him an answer. It refers to the agonizing and ultimately redemptive events in the final hours of Christ's life, documented in each of the four gospels. The term is taken from the Latin for suffering, but also means a profound and transcendent love.

Now I think it comes to this: "For the joy set before, he endured the cross, despising the shame..." [1] What was the joy? It was you! What was his passion? It was saving you. It was his profound and transcendent love for you!

Amazing love!
How can it be
That thou, my God,
Would die for me?!!! [2]