From Top to Bottom

Surprise surprise for a Monday... As I was reading this morning, a verse popped out at me - with a little thought tied to it.  This was the passage: "And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last.And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, 'Truly this man was the Son of God!'" (Mark 15:37-39, ESV).


What caught my attention was verse 38, in the middle there: "And the curtain of the temple was torn in tow, from top to bottom."  


I love it when the Word throws in some little detail that, at least with me, often is passed over without notice, and certainly without consideration.  And, then, out of nowhere, its existence suddenly catches my mind's eye, and a new revelation of God comes into my mind.  I love it.  God is so cool.  


So, what's my big revelation today?  Well, it may not be a "big" one really, but it's certainly significant, and no matter how often I re-receive this truth, it's always important.  The detail that caught my attention was that the veil was torn from TOP to BOTTOM.


The veil, or the temple curtain, was the symbol of separation between God & mankind.  The triumph of Jesus changed everything, and the separation that existed (as a result of sin) was mended and repaired by His death.  Jesus' death was His act of taking the punishment for sin, rather than than the justice for our many human failings being ours to individually bear.  He healed the rift with one amazing act.  And that rift was symbolized by the curtain, and at the moment of His death, the curtain was ripped into two pieces, destroyed and rendered meaningless.  And it was ripped from top to bottom.


I'm guessing many of you are getting where I'm headed by now; this repair, this action of reconciliation, of unification and healing was done.  Hallelujah, right?  This is, of course, a profoundly important truth and the very essence of what I hope my life celebrates day-by-day.  It's big.  But that small little detail - from top to bottom - is no less important.  Perhaps, on a daily basis, living in this life here on earth, that detail may be the one of which I need more reminding.


When I have a barrier in my life - a situation that won't resolve, a feeling that won't pass, a hurt that won't heal - I tend to try to wrestle it on my own.  Pretty much, though, I suck at trying to fix these things on my own.  It turns out, again and again, that I'm not fit for accomplishing God's jobs; I have no idea why this continues to surprise me.  


So, again today, I needed the reminder.  These things (all things) happen from the top down.  All the places in my life where I need healing, helping, repair and strength are His to accomplish.  Life changes, the really important ones, happen from the top down.  That leaves me free to simply trust His process, walk along behind Him (because sometimes there is work for me to do too!), and take His lead, knowing He'll work it out from the top.  It's amazing that when I let His approach to life be my approach to life, things seem to go much more smoothly - inside my head and heart, as well as on the outside.


Bless you all.  Let Him do His work, and trust Him.  He's worthy.