The walking dead - embracing death and living life

Today I've really been in the first state of grief and sorrow amidst much joy. I've really felt that I'm embracing the life and death of Christ. On Monday singing with David Crowder of the beauty of God I reflected how it was absurd to have the picture in my head that I did. Jesus slain, whipped beaten, ridiculed and hanging on a cross. But this is truly a subvertion of human beauty. In fact this event may be the most beautiful in history.

Consider Charles Wesley's verse from the hymn, "On the Sight of a Corpse."

Ah, lovely appearance of death!
What sight upon earth is so fair?
Not all the gay pageants that breathe
Can with a dead body compare.
With solemn delight I survey
The corpse when the spirit is fled,
In love with the beautiful clay,
And longing to lie in its stead.

In the midst of my sorrow and grief I reflect on the beauty and wonder of the cross and all the hurt is embraced, the things of earth grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace. I embrace the hurt and death I'm experiencing as sharing in His death. And by his death, I am healed. It is true, His yoke is easy and His burden is light.