Christ has made my heart thankful. In the deep, abiding way that only He can.
This last week we've read through the Gospel accounts of Christ’s
death on the cross. It’s a miracle that can never be told or read too many
times over. Jesus, fully God and fully man. He had all power to carry out His
own will, but He didn't. Instead, Jesus was completely surrendered to the
perfect will of His Father. And yet Jesus was still fully human. The Creator of
the Universe clothed in frail flesh.
After He was delivered to be crucified, He was scourged till the
blood ran. Jesus’ body was weak and bowed with pain, in the midst of the
jeering crowd. He stumbled beneath the
weight of the cross. The Roman soldiers impatient to be finished, grabbed a man
from the crowd to carry the cross.
His human body felt every lash. Every thorn. Every nail. And yet He
controlled the moment His spirit was yielded in death. No one took His life.
Christ gave it in perfect obedience. He gave it because He loved us, the
sinful, jeering ones, with perfect love. The Sinless One was slaughtered for
the sinful. His Holy blood was spilled to cover our foul stains of sin so that
we could approach the Holy God.
Easter was a blessed day, remembering this miracle of Christ's perfect love. It began with a pale blue sky and His glory in gold sunlight. Hymns sung all together in our little white Church. Eating sticky cinnamon rolls for breakfast. Me, dropping a whole cup of hot coffee. The scalding liquid splashing all over the floor, my leather shoes, and Mary's Church clothes. {unfortunate for her, she was standing right next to me when I dropped the cup} Mom thought I dropped the coffee because I was too excited about getting to eat food again.
She's probably right. I was pretty excited. Sticky, leaven-laden rolls, cream in my coffee. It was all lovely. I'm thankful I chose to give-up for Lent. And I'm thankful to be on this side of it. I now know it's possible to live without things like butter, bread, and cupcakes. It's hard. But possible.
It makes me think of how many times I look at something hard and I say it's not possible. But what if it actually is possible? When I see the impossibility of something it's because of my perspective. I think, I'm not strong enough for that. And that's very true. But I don't need to walk this way alone. I don't need to be strong enough.
Because Christ lives.
Three days after His death, Jesus rose from the dead. His work on earth was done. The debt was paid once, for all! The debt you and I owed, but could never pay, Jesus paid it for us. He made the way for us to live a new life; an abundant life in Him.
And the Abundant life begins in a thankful heart He creates.
Because HE lives, we can live too.
She's probably right. I was pretty excited. Sticky, leaven-laden rolls, cream in my coffee. It was all lovely. I'm thankful I chose to give-up for Lent. And I'm thankful to be on this side of it. I now know it's possible to live without things like butter, bread, and cupcakes. It's hard. But possible.
It makes me think of how many times I look at something hard and I say it's not possible. But what if it actually is possible? When I see the impossibility of something it's because of my perspective. I think, I'm not strong enough for that. And that's very true. But I don't need to walk this way alone. I don't need to be strong enough.
Because Christ lives.
Three days after His death, Jesus rose from the dead. His work on earth was done. The debt was paid once, for all! The debt you and I owed, but could never pay, Jesus paid it for us. He made the way for us to live a new life; an abundant life in Him.
And the Abundant life begins in a thankful heart He creates.
Because HE lives, we can live too.
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