103G
Amber’s Father
"In the Midst of Thee" - volumes 1 & 2 contain 200 favorite Glenn Rawson Stories, available from and participating bookstores.
Not long ago I was reading the scriptures when a verse came to life for me. On that cold April night when Jesus suffered as part of an infinite and intimate atonement, He watched over His sleeping apostles. At the end of His ordeal, He graciously allowed them to sleep just a little longer. And then after a time He awoke them saying, “Arise [Rise up], let us go; lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand.” (Mark 14:42)
A great multitude of men approached – a mob, if you will. Judas came forward out of that group and kissed the Savior.
Then John says – and this is the point, “Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them Whom seek ye?” (John 18:4)
Now think about that. When they answered that it was Jesus whom they sought,
Jesus said, “…I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way:” (John 18:8)
Torture, humiliation, and death awaited the Savior. He knew that, and yet there was not the slightest evidence of slinking back – no hiding in the shadows, no evidence whatsoever of fear or reluctance on His part. Boldly He stepped forward to die with the courage of a God.
I was still thinking about this beautiful insight as I went down to teach a night class. A young woman was telling a story for a devotional thought to the class, and she said, “My dad is my best friend. I can tell him anything.”
And from there she went on to describe their wonderful relationship, and how close she was to her dad – how much she loved him.
“I never learned to cook,” she said, “because I spent so much time outside helping my dad on the ranch.” And then she said one day her dad became critically ill, and was life-flighted to Salt Lake City. She was shocked when she saw him attached to monitors, tubes, and wires that sustained his enfeeble body. She began to cry as you can understand, and instinctively to pray, saying the same things over and over again, “Heavenly Father, you can’t take my dad away! He’s my best friend, and so many people depend on him. The ward needs him; the community needs him; I need him!” And then she added, “Take me instead.” And she meant it.
Amber’s love for her dad touched me, and then all of a sudden it connected: I saw the Savior in a completely different way.
Had there been no atonement, all of us would have died in the most complete sense of the word. All of us would have become angels to a devil forever in abject misery. But Jesus, knowing all things that were supposed to happen, went forth – stepped forward at a critical moment and said in effect, ‘Heavenly Father, don’t let them die; I love them. Take me instead.’
Amber’s offering for her dad was not accepted, but in the Savior’s case, it was. He literally poured out His soul unto death, that we might live.
Amber’s dad recovered – a miracle! We believe in miracles. But there is no miracle that can compare with the miracle of redeeming love. My friends, this is what Easter is all about.
Experience of Amber Sayer
Glenn Rawson – March 2005
Music: Miracles – After the Storm, track 9 (edited) – Paul Cardall
Song: Song of Redeeming Love – Margo Watson