I was thinking of Christ. At his crucifixion, I wonder if there were some who questioned. "If he's the Christ why doesn't he just save himself?" "Why wouldn't he save himself from this injustice?" Would I question? Would I wonder if this really was the Christ? Would my unbelief overtake my belief? Of course, from a much clearer perspective (Perspective really is everything), we see that this was the plan all along. That this is the way and death is not the end. It was the way to open the door to resurrection and eternal life. He gave his life for us, so we could live. He gave his life, to teach us, to show us the way, to heal us and to bless us. He loved us.
In John 15:13,14 it says, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends..."
Now I want to share an experience I had with Norma. She fought so hard. We all knew the end was coming - and a lot faster than we expected. I remember her having a doctor's appointment in a couple days and her being so weak. I remember going over one morning and she was standing in her bathroom by the closet. I recall saying to her that I could take her to her appointment and we could do a wheelchair and I could carry her, but is that what she REALLY wanted. Wouldn't she rather spend time at the beach and doing other things. I remember her starting to sob "How can I quit? I can't let the kids down." I remember hugging her and crying with her and telling her "You haven't quit and you aren't losing. You are a winner. You have won." I remember saying all the right things, but at the time it didn't seem like the right thing, even though with every ounce of faith I knew it was.
So today, when these thoughts have come into my mind, of Christ and Norma I have a broader perspective. Christ loved us and spent his life for us. Norma too, gave her life to us in such a special way, in her way. No greater love is there than this. She did win. She lived her life as Christ did. Nothing else matters.
I hope I am doing the same. I am not perfect, but my love of the Savior, Jesus Christ is real. I may not always see and I may not always hear, but I do believe.
