Easter is right around the corner and I can’t wait…
There are plenty of reasons why I so love the season of Easter – yes, definitely because of all that Christ secured through His death and resurrection, but they’re also some pretty wonderful memories of my sister’s traditions for Easter like her roast leg of lamb. My sister, Jay Kay, was the one who turned me on to lamb when I lived with her on the farm and she made certain to rub lots of rosemary on it before putting it in the oven… of course, don’t forget the lemon zest to make sure the rosemary sticks to the meat. Oh my, I'm making myself so hungry just talking about it… and if you’re hungry, too, I'm going to invite you before the end of our time together to quick go visit me at joniandfriendsradio.org so you can download this wonderful leg of lamb recipe for Easter. Anyway, suffice to say, lamb is a favorite this time of year…
It’s a little difficult to eat lamb when you possess a true love and affection for those little guys. When I was on the farm growing up, I once helped take care of a little lamb. Cute, warm, and fuzzy, that little lamb captured and melted my heart. I loved to hug him and feel his soft, white fleece. This precious lamb was the picture of innocence. You can imagine my horror on the day when that little lamb was taken to the slaughterhouse! Oh, my goodness. I was just a little girl; I was so traumatized.
Well, for Passover preparations, listen to what God had the Israelites do… it’s recorded in Exodus chapter 12 where Moses tells the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of a particular month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household… and then He writes, “The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats. Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the people of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight.”
Now get this. God wanted a family to choose a lamb, bring it into their house, and take care of it for four whole days before killing it. I mean think about that -- how awful! They were required to slaughter the little lamb that they brought into their own home to love and care for, but there was a reason God did this. Such a heart-wrenching sacrifice demonstrated the exacting demands of God's justice, as well as how destructive and awful sin really is. It was the perfect background to our wonderful Savior, Jesus Christ, “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” God wants our hearts to sincerely break over the sacrifice of a lamb, of the Lamb, the perfect Lamb. We were the ones who put Jesus Christ to death. Our sin led him to the slaughter. And that should lead us to grief and repentance.
Today as we get ready to enter a new month… when we get ready to celebrate Easter, please join me in meditating on how a lamb is a biblical “type” of the life of Christ. Remember, Jesus went to his cross as your sacrificial lamb, and so I think you can now see why Christians still partake of lamb when Resurrection Sunday rolls around. And what a fitting celebration it would be for you to cook up a leg of lamb on Easter Sunday… I know it’s a ways off, but I want to make certain you get your recipe in time and you can do so by visiting me today at joniandfriendsradio.org and downloading it right off my website, or you can call 1-888-522-5664. Oh praise the Lord for Jesus Christ, the lamb that was led away… the lamb who took on our sins… that’s something to remember as we turn the corner and begin seriously thinking about Easter week coming up. And don’t forget, please visit me today at joniandfriendsradio.org.
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