Reflecting on the Willing Sacrifice of Good Friday

As I have been writing this blog post, a passage from C.S. Lewis’s The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (Scholastic, 1987) has continued to pervade my thoughts so it seemed it should have a place in the posting. Aslan described the significance of  his murder by the White Witch and his miraculous resurrection from death. He explained eloquently the power of the moment, allegorically reminiscent of the crucifixion of Christ. Aslan said, "She would have known that when a willing victim who had committed no treachery was killed in a traitor's stead, the table would crack and Death itself would start working backward."

The Bottle-fed White Calf and Good Friday

                On February 3^rd, Dad’s white-tail cow had a little white bull calf. Within a few days, it became apparent that the baby bull calf was not thriving. My brother-in-law and sister made an emergency visit to the farm. Ben loaded the calf in the back of his pickup. Angie, my sister, drove them up to the house. They brought calf milk replacement that Mother used to prepare a bottle. The little white calf began devouring the milk from the bottle, eagerly following Ben and looking for more. I assumed the responsibility of feeding the calf at least twice daily.  

                Soon I had to admit that I could not adequately care for Dad and the calf. After a week of nurturing the little white bull calf, we arranged to sell the calf and his mother. My cousin, Tim came to haul the two to the weekly livestock sale. Ben carried the calf into the trailer. I stood beside the trailer near its front. The calf began to suckle my glove on that cool February morning. Soon the calf's mother was loaded into the trailer, too.

                As I walked to the house, waving to Tim as he pulled the trailer onto the road, I reflected on the happenings of the morning. The tiny, innocent-appearing calf stood motionless in the trailer, not making even the slightest sound. Then my mind shifted to recall a passage in Isaiah 53:7 in which Isaiah predicts the sacrificial death of Jesus.

He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth;

He was led like a lamb to the slaughter,

And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He did not open His mouth. (NIV)

                The little white calf stayed so willingly in the trailer. In comparison, Jesus, out of love for us,willingly endured the shame and death of the cross for our sins, taking the punishment on His perfect self. Paul described, with poignancy, Jesus' atonement in his letter to the church at Corinth when he penned:

God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us,

So that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. (NIV)

                As we enter the week preceding Good Friday and Easter, may we take time to reflect on our unworthy sinfulness in contrast to His perfect willingness to take our place as the only way to free us from our detrimental transgressions. Only the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John records this assessment by John the Baptist of Jesus in John 1:29.) could restore life as it was meant to be for humans. Let the little white calf nuzzling so willingly my gloved hand serve as a visual reminder of the precious death of Jesus motivated only by His love for the unloving to make them right with God. Throughout the week, may we, who have been forgiven and freed from the guilt and power of sin, offer heartfelt thanks and gratitude to the only One who could provide such freedom - Jesus the Savior of the World.

The little white calf explores the hay after taking his evening bottle.