Perspectives Change

Imagine you're a Roman centurion.  You've fought in lots of campaigns for the glory of Rome. You've had to kill, capture, or maim countless people in these conquests.  You are tougher than tough. You have seared your feelings against feeling pity for anyone. You have battle scars to prove your toughness.  And here you are at the foot of three crucified "enemies of the state."  You have no sympathy or pity on these three. After all, they got what they deserved and your orders are to make sure they are dead by sundown.  While you wait, you do the same thing you have done countless times before and gamble for the possessions of the condemned.  Today, the only possessions are a few bits of clothing.  But it's still part of your habit.

You hear the guy in the middle cry out asking why his father had abandoned him, and you smugly chuckle at the misery.  And you truly wish they were hurry up and die already because you're hungry and want to spend time drinking, but duty first.  Finally, the guy in the middle lets out another shout and dies.  "One down, two to go" you think to yourself.  And then....

• The curtain in the Temple is torn from top to bottom as if it were paper.  You know from seeing the curtain that it is 30 ft long, 30 ft wide, 30 ft high and 4 inches thick.  What could possibly tear such a curtain?
• Then the earth begins to shake.
• Rocks begin to split apart.
• The tombs in the cemetery open up.
• The bodies of the godly men and women who had died are raised from the dead.

Your mind can hardly grasp all of that is happening.  Nothing in all your experience in battle and conquest could compare with all of this.  Then it hits you! There is only ONE answer:

"The Roman officer and the other soldiers at the crucifixion were terrified by the earthquake and all that had happened. They said, 'This man truly was the Son of God!'" - Matthew 27:54

Abba has a way of changing our perspective in very powerful ways!