Today is Good Friday. I am choosing to think back some 2000 years ago and not to last year. Both are painful - but the meaning of what happened at Calvary is the only way I can face my future and so I am making a choice. If I dwell on last year when Julius was by my side, serving in Church, visiting friends, watching The Passion with the girls, I descend into despair.
If I choose to look back to Calvary, I have hope. It is the reason that I live and breathe and have the desire to wake up every morning to do what I do. It is my strength. my assurance.
The Gospel Changes Everything says the song by Meredith Andrews.
Yes it does for sure.
What has it changed for me? It has brought me from darkness to light.
1 Corinthians 1:18 " For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God,"
It is my daily protection. In Hebrews 6:13 God tells us: "Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm."
It enables me to withstand the evil day May 7, 2013 when my world crashed. How else can I explain my life now?
It has revealed the glory of the Lord to me like never before.
Isaiah 6:1 In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple.
In the year Julius died I saw the glory of the Lord. I saw that Our Heavenly Father is truly who He says He is - Faithful, Sovereign, Creator God who supplies my every need. Everyday I look back and see His Hand upon me and my girls.
2 Peter 1:3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence...
The Gospel has freed me form sin and it's power. Hallelujah!
"The gospel is not simply the story of "Christ and Him crucified;" it is also the story of my own crucifixion." Milton Vincent in "A Gospel Primer."
Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
Quoting Milton Vincent again; (this is an excellent little book to ready daily) "Crucifixion hurts. In fact , its heart -wrenching brutality can numb the senses. It is a gasping and bloody affair, and there is nothing nice, pretty or easy about it. It is not merely death but excruciating death."
In the days following May 7th, I had to make a choice - how was I going to respond? Was I going to die to my desires, dreams, hopes and even anger?
It was and is an excruciating and very painful choice. It was not fair. It still is not fair. Why me?
But my Saviour's cross was not fair. So as May 7th approaches and I relive the last week with Julius and then the phone call - that changed us forever, I remember the Cross and I make a moment by moment choice.
1 Peter 2:21-24 "For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness..."
Like the apostle said in Philippians 4 I am striving to say: "I can do all things through him who strengthens me."
If I choose to look back to Calvary, I have hope. It is the reason that I live and breathe and have the desire to wake up every morning to do what I do. It is my strength. my assurance.
The Gospel Changes Everything says the song by Meredith Andrews.
Yes it does for sure.
What has it changed for me? It has brought me from darkness to light.
1 Corinthians 1:18 " For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God,"
It is my daily protection. In Hebrews 6:13 God tells us: "Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm."
It enables me to withstand the evil day May 7, 2013 when my world crashed. How else can I explain my life now?
It has revealed the glory of the Lord to me like never before.
Isaiah 6:1 In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple.
In the year Julius died I saw the glory of the Lord. I saw that Our Heavenly Father is truly who He says He is - Faithful, Sovereign, Creator God who supplies my every need. Everyday I look back and see His Hand upon me and my girls.
2 Peter 1:3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence...
The Gospel has freed me form sin and it's power. Hallelujah!
"The gospel is not simply the story of "Christ and Him crucified;" it is also the story of my own crucifixion." Milton Vincent in "A Gospel Primer."
Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
Quoting Milton Vincent again; (this is an excellent little book to ready daily) "Crucifixion hurts. In fact , its heart -wrenching brutality can numb the senses. It is a gasping and bloody affair, and there is nothing nice, pretty or easy about it. It is not merely death but excruciating death."
In the days following May 7th, I had to make a choice - how was I going to respond? Was I going to die to my desires, dreams, hopes and even anger?
It was and is an excruciating and very painful choice. It was not fair. It still is not fair. Why me?
But my Saviour's cross was not fair. So as May 7th approaches and I relive the last week with Julius and then the phone call - that changed us forever, I remember the Cross and I make a moment by moment choice.
1 Peter 2:21-24 "For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness..."
Like the apostle said in Philippians 4 I am striving to say: "I can do all things through him who strengthens me."
God bless you and keep you and the girls <3
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