April 2, 2013
WHOA-- this has been my most remarkable Easter Week that I have ever experienced! My best friends of many years prepared a Seder Meal for my family Monday night. This was amazing and it set the tone and significance for the week like never before. Then, the Easter Service with my entire family was so special. The perfect ending of the week was spent as a family watching the last night of the Bible Series which was just incredible. Truly I did not waste one moment of this special week remembering Jesus!
All of this led me to this scripture: “What a God we have! And how fortunate we are to have him, this Father of our Master Jesus! Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we've been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven-and the future starts now! God is keeping careful watch over us and the future. The Day is coming when you'll have it all-life healed and whole.” 1 Peter 1:3-5
It came alive to me after the Easter week. First, Jesus died the most gruesome death for us. From the 40 beatings to His thorn pierced brow-- all of which caused unbearable pain more than anyone could experience without death. But then it was His death, nailed pierced hands and His nailed pierced feet--the ransom-- the ultimate price He paid for all of us! BUT GOD! The most loving, good God had Jesus raised from the grave to defeat death finally! Now we all have the opportunity to have a new life and a new beginning in Him. We now have the hope that one day we, too, will have healing and wholeness when we get to heaven with Him!
My challenge this week is to reconnect with Jesus in a deeper place with Him. Let's not wait until another Holiday to celebrate what Jesus means to us. Let us wipe away our tears, increase our faith to defeat our fears, and share hope to all of the hurting that Jesus is alive and one day He will return. Then, we all will be healed and whole in Him in heaven! Believe this, embrace it within your heart, and share it with all the people you know!
Make it a WHOA week! I love you.
-Laine