I’m currently listening to live worship from a World Race group in Guatemala, singing “Glory, glory, hallelujah, Jesus you are good! What could wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What could make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.” What truth that is today (and everyday)!
Today we celebrate Easter, believing whole heartedly that the son of God bled, with nails through his hands, and a spear in his side, died upon a cross, and rose from the dead, for us. For you. For me. For every person who simply believes. That full belief is transformative.
I have had my fair share of pain. But none of it compares to the magnitude of what Jesus faced. I don’t believe because I want this life to be easy and painless. It’s not. It’s hard. But I believe because I feel Jesus in me, I see Jesus and the raw conviction in people God has placed in my life. I believe because I have no reason not to. Life is so much more full and beautiful when choosing to live according to how God made people. When we love one another. When we don’t lie, cheat, steal, when we respect and honor one another, when we aren’t envious, we are as God intended. And Jesus is the only person who has ever done all of these perfectly, who has defeated death.
Tomorrow I am having knee surgery. Two weeks ago I was fighting this with everything in me emotionally, absolutely drained and frustrated that I have to go back to being crippled and in pain. On Palm Sunday last week, it hit me how silly this is. My injury isn’t accidental. My life being forced to slow down isn’t random. God has His hand at work, even if it’s not at all how I wanted Him to be working. I was so angry at having to slow down for a couple months, until it hit me, that Jesus was betrayed, abandonned, lied about, tortured, and crucified by people he knew. And he didn’t complain. He faced a torturous, brutal death, rose again, and LIVES! God is so good through the brutal pain Jesus faced. What I am going through is nothing in comparison. It is His strength that guides me here. “Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.”
For anyone reading this, who doesn’t believe, for whatever reason, or isn’t sure, or who is struggling in their faith, or maybe doesn’t think much about their faith, or is on fire for Jesus, meditate on the idea of the overwhelming grace Jesus’ death, today, could provide for you RIGHT NOW, that covers any screw ups you have ever made! He is reaching out and offering grace to you, RIGHT NOW. As I listen to World Racers singing praise in Guatemala, as you are reading this blog, God is offering freedom. “Where sin runs deep, your grace is more. Where you are Lord, I am free.” Why not look into this a little more?
“The ground began to shake, the stone was rolled away, his perfect love could not be overcome, now death where is your sting? Our resurrected King has rendered you defeated.”
We sing hallelujah around the world today! He is risen!! Happy Easter!
