John 1: 29; Leviticus 4:32-35
I think so many times in Lent we get caught up in what to give up, what to do, when to fast, 40 days, do we still sacrifice on Sunday … on and on and on. Yet, when we behold the Lamb through this Lenten season that is when we are called to retake a look at ourselves. As we are coming towards the end of this Lenten season are we consumed in our Lenten sacrifice or are we consumed in the Sacrificial Lamb and the reason we are doing them.
This imagery is so beautiful in beholding the Lamb of God. It isn’t explicit in saying that the Lamb is sacrificial, but it is implying almost gentleness. Behold means to see or observe something, usually something remarkable or impressive. This is perfect, the Lord is remarkable and impressive-behold him.
“The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.”
When we say to behold something it is to see or observe something. During this Lenten season, many are beholding their ‘Lenten-ness.” When we go out to eat with friends on Friday and can only order something without meat, when we go to pick up ice cream with a girlfriend and realize that we gave up Chocolate for lent, when we go to look at our Facebook, because everyone else is, only to realize we gave up daytime Facebook checking: those around us are beholding our sacrifices. They are seeing them. They are observing them. The biggest difference though between us and the Lamb of God, is that although we think that we are making these remarkable and impressive sacrifices or additions to our lives, well, they can’t even touch the most remarkable and impressive sacrifice of the Lamb.
Because when we step back, and behold the Lamb, and not just the sacrifices and extra things we are doing because it is Lent. But when we behold the true sacrifice and the true Lamb -THAT is what we want. That is when people “behold” us and want to be apart of it. That is when we will be able to show others to the Lamb that takes away the sins of the world.
Behold the Lamb, so that you can show Him to others, especially in these last days of Lent.
