What an amazing, reflective, and inspiring experience!

Let me explain…Each individual campus of Second Baptist Church of Houston, Texas offers an incredible Passion Week Experience for all to embrace.  This allows us to walk through the Stations of the Cross, and get a better feeling of what took place so long ago.  Church members have thoughtfully constructed settings depicting the days surrounding the crucifixion, allowing us to walk the steps of Jesus.  

Beginning with washing of the hands, then to the Last Supper, a time of reflection in the Garden of Gethsemane, experiencing the fragrances of the burial oils and spices, all the way through to the cross,  visitors are given such an incredible interactive walk through the experience.  I, personally, took this insightful walk last night and am so thankful for the opportunity.

I must say that the station that touched my heart the most was the cross, hammer and spikes along with the crown of thorns.  I’ve heard of this from my childhood but seeing and touching these representations of what was used that day, shook me to the core of my being.  Running my hand down the wooden cross and feeling the roughness, the splinters, the jagged edges of what Christ had to carry, a cross, not designed to fit his body, not made to be easy to carry, but just the contrary. 

Then lifting the hammer and feeling the heaviness of it, not a meager, household hammer but one that could summon up much power with each blow.  The huge pointed iron spikes representing those that were driven into our Lord’s hands and feet brought tears to my eyes, and are actually doing so again as I put this experience into words. A crown of thorns was displayed above the cross, hammer and spikes.  As I looked at this “crown” it broke my heart to even try to imagine the pain this must have inflicted.  Pain and suffering placed upon our Lord, Jesus Christ, in order that we might have the gift of eternal life.  What a sacrifice Jesus, this blameless, sinless man made for us all. 

Throughout the walk, the sound of hammering echoed throughout the sanctuary, over and over again. I honestly was not sure what I would find when reaching that particular station, but when I came to that stop, I found a huge cross that was being covered with small black squares of paper, each nailed to the cross.  Each visitor was given the opportunity to write down those things that they struggle with, those sins that they seek forgiveness for and then nail them to the cross.  It was a precious time of soul searching and repentance. 

What a wonderful experience, one that caused me to stop and truly reflect on the reason that we celebrate Easter or better called, Resurrection Day.  I am so very thankful for the sacrifice my Lord made and the precious gift of His grace, the gift of salvation, eternal life our risen Lord offers to each of us. Thank you, Lord, for your forgiveness and your everlasting love.