Remember Barrabus

During a devotional this week we watched "For This Reason I Was Born" it depicts the birth, ministry, Atonement, and Resurrection of the Savior. During the scene when Christ is brought before Pilot and the people decide to exchange Him for Barrabus, I was struck by the thought: "I wonder how it would feel to be Barrabus..." To know that Christ took your punishment for you, being completely innocent, and gave His life for you, a sinner, a rebel, and a robber. Then the thought came to me: "I am Barrabus" Christ took my punishment. He gave His life for me, I have at times been a rebel against His doctrine and His word, a robber of happiness in the lives of others, and a sinner with many weaknesses. But He knew and still knows that even though I am in no way perfect I am in all ways worth it. And so are each of us. We are all like Barrabus, we make mistakes and sin, but Christ has taken the punishment for each sin and each weakness, and each mistake. "He payed the debt He didn't owe, because we owed a debt we couldn't pay" -Unknown
And all we can give Him in return is a grateful heart and a willingness to follow in His footsteps. Elder Holland said: "the path to salvation goes through Gethsemane" Many times when we face hard things we experience maybe a few moments in Gethsemane, the key is remembering that we are not alone in our hurt, heartbreak, and sorrow, Christ suffered for us first, and He suffered completely alone so that we wouldn't have to. He knows we are worth it. We will always be worth it. And I am so grateful to Him for that trust and that perfect love. So this Christmas let us all remember He who suffered so deeply, so unnecessarily, for us. Let us remember that we are Barrabus' that we fall short, that we are weak, but that we can live with Him because He died for us. He lives, He loves us, and through Him and His light all will be made bright, all will be made well, and all will return.
Feliz Navidad everyone,
I love you, I love my Savior, I love my mission.
Please be safe, please have a wonderful holiday season and please know you are in my thoughts and prayers.
So much love,
Hermana Hall
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Hermana Hall