February 9: Why is this necessary?

Exodus 29:1-30:10

Matthew 26:14-46

Psalm 31:19-24

Proverbs 8:14-26

So I started on the OT reading today, and before long I found myself thinking "why is all this necessary?"  The instructions God gave Moses seem to have been worse than the instructions for a really big Lego toy or a really intricate piece of Ikea furniture.  Putting Aaron's garments on alone sounded like it would have taken longer than some actors probably take getting ready for the Oscar red carpet.  Has anyone even thought about how difficult it would be to sacrifice a bull?  And they were supposed to do it each day - as a sin offering to make atonement.  

Then I moved on to the NT reading, and I found myself asking the same question as I read about our Lord praying in the Garden of Gethsemane.  Our Lord was contemplating a horrible death, a death to make ISIS look like rank amateurs.  And I thought to myself again, "why was it necessary?"

Now don't get me wrong - I have now begun to understand why it was necessary.  Our Lord died for us to remove the stain of rebellion and sin away from us, a stain God in His perfection could not abide in His presence, a stain we could not remove ourselves, that we might be able to approach His throne.  I imagine our Lord knew this as well - but what was interesting was, it never came up in the conversation.  His response to the prospect of a terrible death?  "May Your will be done."

And that is really the crux of it, isn't it?  As was the case when I was a child struggling to understand my parents, and as is the case for my children today; as was the case when reading both the OT and NT readings today - the fact is, I don't need to know why God says it is necessary.  Only that He says it is.  May I always learn to respond, in all the circumstances He permits, however difficult it may be, "may Your will be done."