It Is Finished

Happy Easter!

I love this holiday because it causes me to consider the resurrection in a way I don't the rest of the year.  Yes, Jesus' death and resurrection are central to the Christian faith and so are central to daily life and thought, but the 'holidays' always seem to make things more meaningful, make thoughts more potent, make love deeper felt.  And  that is what I feel this Easter.  Above all the LOVE of Christ!  To choose to leave paradise and come to Earth.  To leave the host of angels and live among the fallen.  To suspend eternal existence and die a brutal, shameful, torturous death.  To live a sin-less life in our fallen world and die with the weight of EVERY sin (ever) upon His shoulders (can you imagine what He saw?  what He felt?).  And all this to conquer death!  To rise on the third day and PROVE that He is the Power of powers, Lord of lords, King of kings, above all others!  Oh, what love.

I began thinking over the past few days in reflection, what must it have been like the day after Christ death?  Can you imagine what the disciples must have been feeling?  What Mary, His mother, must have been feeling?  To lose a friend, teacher, brother, son...and to watch His death be so painful...and to realize the next morning that He was gone!  Do you think they even remembered that He said He would "rise again on the third day?"  Or, were they so struck. so taken with grief that they had no thoughts other than "is this a dream?"

Out of this death, this resurrection, this love comes a call to all believers.  A call to action!  I believe that when Jesus cried out "It is finished" the battle was won!  We are victorious!  BUT...There are still wars to be fought...AND if we fight with the RESURRECTED Jesus on our side, who can stop us!?!  "It is finished" should be our battle cry!  It should spur us on to fight harder and win more should to Christ!  To advance and further the Kingdom of God!  To be His hands and feet!  A love like His deserves an active response.  The grief of losing Him should make GAINING Him the greatest moment of our lives!  He proved His Deity, He proved His love, He awaits our response.  "It is finished" is only the beginning!

Finding Meaning

My tardiness in writing this week is what has brought me to write...isn't it funny how the Lord works these things out for our benefit?  I think I've learned more from it than you will ;)   There was no inspiration to speak of this weekend...No great thoughts or wise musings...a pattern I have found to be far more frequent than I'd like!  Then, while walking home last night it hit me right between the eyes - and it was in front of me the whole time.  I finally allowed myself to listen long enough and quietly enough to hear that still small voice of the Spirit.

When was the last time you remember actually THINKING about something before you did-said-purchased it?  Probably, if you're like me, it was when making a big decision-big speech-big purchase...but I mean the little things...the things that don't seem to matter for the moment, but have lasting impact on the rest of the day.  The choice to have a donut for breakfast instead of eggs or yogurt for example (a choice I have not considered all to carefully these past few days)?  Or, perhaps, the choice to watch a movie or TV instead of doing work or spending time with the Lord?  Or, even, choosing to go to sleep earlier or push the snooze one more time instead of MAKING time for our quiet time (even though you promised yourself you'd do it)?  Yes, all of these I have struggled with.

Have you ever been through a day and thought, "where did the time go? how is it that time already? I didn't get anything done..."  Yup, me too.  Even through all our "best laid plans" it never seems to turn out like we planned it (whether for good or for bad).  Wonder why?  Me too.  And, in my wondering, I am reminded that in each of those moments when I wasn't thinking God was speaking...whispering to my heart, but I was so wrapped up in me and trying to plan for the next day when I should have been living for not the next moment but this moment.  We hear "seize the day!  Live life to the fullest!"  How many times do we find ourselves doing that?  And, when we do, how often is it living according to the world?

I reach the end of days like this full of guilt (which comes from Satan) rather than conviction (which comes from the Lord)...I shouldn't be surprised at why...living my day for the Prince of the World (Satan) results in an outcome that can only come from him.  BUT, I am forgiven!  How fabulous!  Jesus died on the cross 2012 years ago with ME on his heart watching the story of THIS day and the sins of THIS day as he hung in agony on the cross, causing the father to turn His face away, and now, I AM FORGIVEN!  My blood exchanged for His blood, my days wiped clean in the eyes of the Father.  Jesus, interceding - pleading with the Father to have mercy on me again and again and again!  Praise God!  What a LOVE!

And how do I thank Him?  What am I doing that is so much more important that the one who saved my soul from eternal damnation?  A love like this, the love of our savior, DESERVES nothing less that complete devotion and surrender of EVERY moment!

So, think about this, as I have thought all through the night and will not soon forget...Does your faith, your God, mean everything to you until it means you have to sacrifice?  Let me say that again.  Does your SAVIOR mean everything to you until He means you lose some sleep? Or lose a client?  Or lose a friend? Or have to cancel that meeting?  Or miss your favorite show? Or say "no" to going out with friends? Or giving up secular music/movies/television? Or sacrificing some of the little personal time you have?  Does Jesus mean everything to you until He becomes an afterthought?  Don't lose sight of Him today!