Victory!!!

“He is not here; He has risen, just as He said...”  Matthew 23:6

They went to the tomb.  They expected to find the dead body of their Savior and Friend Jesus.  But when they went inside the tomb, He wasn’t there.  Only the linen coverings laid on the slab.  Then they remembered.  “Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, ‘We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled.  He will be handed over to the Gentiles.  They will mock Him, insult Him, spit on Him, flog Him and kill Him.  On the third day He will rise again.” (Luke 18:31-33)  It was the third day and He was gone.  At first they were scared, but Jesus revealed Himself to Mary.  Then they were amazed and excited.  Jesus had overcome death and brought victory for all who believe in Him!!!  Life for believers would never be the same!  Hallelujah!

“The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.”  Luke 24:7

Darkness

“And they crucified Him...”  Mark 15:24

It sounds so factual.  “And they crucified Him...”  But it was so much more than a factual account of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, one of thousands to ever be crucified.  They had berated, scourged, mocked and despised Him yet He had done nothing wrong.  Now they were carrying out His sentence in between two thieves who deserved to die.  How could this be?  Yet this was God’s plan to make it possible for humanity to be reconciled to Holy God.  The sacrifice of an unblemished lamb had to be made for the way to be opened up to Jehovah God.  Only Christ, the Passover Lamb, could be that sacrifice.  So He willingly gave up His life in order that all who call on His Name could be redeemed.  Once again I am amazed, awed and speechless because of what He has done for me.  Tears well up in my eyes as I think about what He did for me.  It continually humbles me.  May I never take His sacrifice for granted and think it a common thing. 

Good Friday... the darkest day in all eternity.  Christ, the Son of God, was put to death on a cross on the hill called Golgotha.  To the world around Him it now seemed as though there could never be a victory over evil.  But wait... it may be Friday but Sunday is coming!   

“It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, for the sun stopped shining.  And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.  Jesus called out with a loud voice, ‘Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.’  When He had said this, He breathed His last.”  Luke 23:44-46

Washing Feet

When I think of Maundy Thursday, I think about Jesus washing the feet of His disciples.  He simply followed the custom of washing the feet of those who came to your home.  Yet I am constantly amazed at the fact that Jesus washed the feet of His betrayer Judas Iscariot.  What a beautiful way to show me the infinite extent of God’s love toward finite human beings.  I pause to wonder if I too would “wash the feet” of my enemies, those who seem to insist on making my life difficult.  By His grace may I indeed follow the example of my Savior and serve all people through His mighty love.  

I also think about the Son of God and the Son of Man sharing His coming sacrifice in such a powerful yet simple way.  By His use of the elements of bread and wine I can actually begin to understand something that I should never be able to understand.  His body and His blood given sacrificially for me  become my gateway to life eternal with Him.  I get to spend forever in the Presence of my God because of what He did!  No one will ever love me as He does.  I am overwhelmed by the willingness of God to “come get me” through the sacrifice of His only Son.  All I can do is humbly say “Thank You, my Abba Father”.  May I love You even more every day of my life.    

“But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  Romans 5:8

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believer in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”  John 3:16

Blessed

Yesterday I had lunch with a wonderful friend.  She and I rarely have the opportunity to get together and it is always a blessing when we do finally have time to spend together.  Such a glorious gift from our Lord.  Thank You, Lord!

I am incredibly blessed by two women that the Lord has given me in this earthly life who point me to Jesus in everything I do. It is hard to imagine my life without these two friends who are indeed closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24) and love me at all times (Proverbs 17:17).  Two sisters that help me walk the walk of faith, not of sight.  They challenge me to follow the Lord wholeheartedly and to seek Him first in all things.  They encourage me to stand firm in my walk with the Lord in my daily circumstances.  They love me like a sister in Christ.  They keep my eyes on Jesus.  How grateful I am for these two blessings from the Lord.  I am truly humbled to have them in my life.  I delight in knowing that we three will spend eternity together praising and serving our Lord.  What a privilege!

While these sisters share their lives with me and we carry each other’s burdens, I know that our Lord God, our Savior, daily bears our burdens.  He is the One Who has given me these women to be His instruments in my life to walk this journey of life.  Praise be to the Lord God for His great love and goodness toward me through these His faithful servants.  All the glory, praise and honor goes to Him.

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.”  Hebrews 10:24

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”  Galatians 6:2

“Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, Who daily bears our burdens.”  Psalm 68:19

All Is Well

All Is Well... that’s the name of a song that was recorded by Point of Grace.  As I was listening to that song this afternoon while in my car, I once again realized that all really is well despite any and all circumstances.  The song talks about how all is well because Christ was born.  The Son of God sent by the Father loves us with a never-ending love.  He became our Redeemer and now reigns forever, seated at the Father’s right hand and there intercedes for His own.  How can all not be well since the Lord is omnipotent, omniscient, ever-present and all-sufficient for all things?  He is always seated on His throne and is ALWAYS in control.  

I so love how the Lord keeps my eyes on Him through His music.  As His Truth is sung through the words of the songs, I am once again in awe of my Lord.  I again realize just how awesome and unfathomable He truly is.  I am reminded that He is sovereign over all and all I can do is praise Him.  How grateful I am that He sets my eyes on things above and not on earthly things.  What a blessing from my loving Father!  Thank You, Lord!!!

“... ‘Hallelujah!  For our Lord God Almighty reigns.’”  Revelation 19:6

“For this is what the Lord says--- He Who created the heavens, He is God; He Who fashioned and made the earth, He founded it; He did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited-- He says: ‘I am the Lord and there is no other.’”  Isaiah 45:18

Eagerly Waiting

“Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”  Psalm 27:14

“But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.”  Romans 8:25

I’m waiting... eagerly and excitedly (sometimes patiently).  Tomorrow we learn if a particular family is going to make an offer on our house.  We’ve had it on the market for close to two years and are hoping so much that the Lord is finally bringing the folks whom He wants to have our house.  Though the wait continues we have hope that this is “it”.  Only by the manifold grace of God have we been enabled to wait.  HE has made this wait possible.  Of course this might not be “it”, but we’ll continue to live by His grace until it is “it”.  He is faithful and will bring “it” to pass.  He will get all the glory for making it happen.  Praise Him!

Lately I’ve also been eagerly anticipating something else... living for all eternity with my Abba Father.  Recently I read passages from Revelation 19-22.  WOW!  What a glorious future we Christians have set before us by our great and mighty God Who loves us like no other.  I find myself excited and grinning from ear to ear as I read and understand what He tells us about our heavenly Home.  It is so far beyond anything I can fathom but it makes me shout hallelujah and praise the Lord!!!  I know that it’s not yet my turn to go Home, but I am so awed by all that the Lord has in store for those who love Him and have been saved by His grace.  To know and understand (as much as a human can) even the bare basics of what Heaven will be like is so overwhelming and exciting.  I can hardly wait till it’s my turn!

“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.  No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and His servants will serve Him.  They will see His face, and His Name will be on their foreheads.  There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.”  Revelation 22:1-5