Remembering

Today is Good Friday.

This is the day that everything changed.

When my children were young we loved to watch VeggieTales.  One of our favorites was An Easter Carol.  Hope's Song is a beautiful way to explain what Easter is.  In the end of the song Hope sings:  "He died for us to give us life & to give us hope he rose." 

But, for Jesus, there was also fear; I can't imagine the fear He had.  Being fully God & fully man He knew what was about to happen; the pain, the heartbreak, the knowing that God the father had to turn His back and allow it to happen.  The weight of every sin, and the blackness of it all was placed on Him.  Jesus knew, and the fully human side of Him made an appearance in the Garden of Gethsemane.  I appreciate Him showing this side.  But what I also see is His submission to God the Father's will.  Jesus knew we needed a way out, and His blood provided it. 

Even though God had to look away while Jesus was on the cross, He knew what Jesus was going through.  In the movie The Passion of the Christ, they show that God was still there by a teardrop falling from heaven.  The link is graphic, so make sure if you are young your parents are ok with you watching this clip.  A teardrop from heaven is not in the bible, but it is a reminder that God's heart was broken.  In the next scene you see the earthquake and the veil tearing in the Holy of Holies.  The veil was a barrier between man and the presence of God.  Only the high priest, once a year was allowed in the place where God dwelt, and it was to atone for the sins of the Jewish nation.  The veil tore to tell us that we all have access to God through the sacrifice and blood of Jesus.  No better gift has ever been given!  He died for us to give us life, and to give us hope, He rose.

We need the life His death gives us, and we need the hope His resurrection brings.   Can you imagine the sadness His disciples and followers were feeling Saturday?   They did not realize what was about to take place on Sunday.  Are we like that?  Are we Saturday people?  Are we wondering what is to become of us?  Are we hiding our faith?

Good news!  Jesus is Risen!  There is hope in His resurrection.  A hope that we are not left alone to fend for ourselves.  We have a purpose while we are here, and we have a hope that this is not all there is.  We are destined to better and greater things.  We have the assurance of spending eternity with Jesus. 

Jesus, how wonderful you are.  Thank you for accepting my sin, and taking the punishment that was meant for me.  Thank you for giving me a new life through the sacrifice of your blood.  I believe you are the only son of God the Father, and that you came to take away the sins of the world.  I commit myself to you, and will serve you all the days of my life.  Forgive me when I sin, and help me through each day.  I love you Jesus.  In your name I pray, ~Amen

Have a wonderfully blessed Easter!  The grave is empty, He is risen!  Hallelujah!!!
~ashley