On Bakra Eid

Every year.  It comes this time every year.  Every year the sacrifice is done.  Every year it must be repeated.  Again and again and again. Year after year.  Every year.  They say the sacrifice is done to remember Abraham giving up his son.  Some say it is for the forgiveness of sin.  It is repeated every year.  Thousands of goats killed.  Thousands of streets running red with the blood of an animal killed because of ritual and tradition.  It is easy to see the futility in the offering.  Hebrews is clear: any sacrifice that has to be offered more than once, especially a yearly sacrifice, is no good.  The final sacrifice was given by the Son.  “It is finished,” he spoke.  He did not say, “Do this sacrifice again.”  He said, “Remember my blood and my body offered for you.”  Of course, I know killing an animal every year will not gain me a better standing before God.  But what about the other sacrifices that I try to offer to the Father.  What about my perfectionism.  My “I read 5 chapters today and prayed too.”  My “I haven’t messed up today.”  My guilt-driven compulsion to give or share.  What about these poorly disguised sacrifices I try to offer to buy what has already been given freely.  Do I forget grace this easily?  I want to earn my place.  I want to be accepted for what I have done.  It is easy to observe the futility in other’s actions, but when the futility is in my actions, it drives me to more futile toil.  The wisest man said he hated life because all his action was vanity.  Do I claim to be wiser than he?  Do I think I can earn a better inheritance than the one granted by the King of Everything?  Dying to myself does not mean only giving up my selfish desires.  Dying to myself means dying to trying to be good enough.  Dying to trying to prove my worth.  Dying to trying to earn a free gift.  I have died to myself and am living in Christ.  How can a dead man add worth to himself?  I am quick to forget and slow to remember the love of my Savior.  That is why I must remind myself.  Every day.  Day after day.  Again and again and again.  Every day it must be repeated.  Every day I must remind myself.  This time every day.  Every day.  

“It is finished.”