New Beginnings

Part of the heart message of Christ’s ministry is new beginnings. One of our greatest benefits in salvation is that everyday is a chance start over. We’re human, and we will undoubtedly mess up—daily even. But we have a God who loved so much that he took care of that, too.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead… — 1 Peter 1:3

"Go, stand in the temple courts," he said, "and tell the people the full message of this new life."
— Acts 5:20

Are yesterday’s failures, disappointments, and discouragements keeping you from embracing the joy of His salvation—God’s greatest gift to us? (Psalm 51:12) Guess what? Tomorrow’s a brand new day. Even the very next moment is an opportunity to change direction and start again. As long as our heart’s desire is Christ, we have unlimited chances to try again. Those failures in the past were simply practice and learning tools.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! — 2 Corinthians 5:17

So many of us have struggled greatly in the last year through trials and hardships. Many of us still are. I can’t help but think that as Easter comes, God’s calling us to renew our faith in him and grab hold of new beginnings in our lives, from the smallest to the greatest. In Him we are eternally new!

We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. — Romans 6:4

HE IS RISEN!

HE IS RISEN INDEED!

Jesus is…

At that time Jesus said to the crowd, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest me. But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted him and fled. — Matthew 26:55-56

I mentioned on Tuesday that I planned to read the crucifixion and resurrection stories in each of the Gospels this week. In reading Matthew 26, I was struck by the inevitability of it all. No matter how much the disciples refused to accept that Christ would soon die, they couldn’t change the course God had set in place.

Jesus was the only one who accepted what Scripture had long foretold. He didn’t resist or fight. He simply knew what had to be done. He walked through his last three years as a man on a mission, quiet in strength and passionate about those who were lost. And the stakes were incredibly high. The salvation of every human being—past, present and future.

I don’t mean to humanize him so much, but at times, that’s the Jesus I can relate to best. The one who felt the pain of each person he met, the one who cried over Lazarus, the one who suffered unbearable torture and crucifixion so that I can meet him one day.

And he even prayed for us before he faced his death:

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” — John 17:20-21

Jesus was a man of devotion, loyalty, steadfastness, and dedication. He was and is a God of love with a plan to save his children. He let nothing deter him from his mission then, and he still pursues us now, intent that none be lost. All that is good and perfect and true is He, and all that is noble and pure and faithful is his character.

He is our greatest example of steadfastness in the midst of inevitability. He is the ultimate representation of perseverance in the midst of suffering. He is the quintessential exemplification of obedience.

He is our Great Messiah.

Jesus, My Hero

I’ve heard so many people express a desire to make this week meaningful. Passion Week. Their words pricked a cord in my heart as well. For so many years this holiday has been about Easter baskets full of candy and chocolate bunnies. (Well, I did revert to chocolate crosses some years back. Had to get that in there somehow!)

For years I’ve relinquished going to church on Easter Sunday to keep my family together. And I was fine with that. I respected my sweet hubby’s wishes and the desire of my girls to be home with their dad. I knew God understood. After all, aren’t we as Christians, belonging to Christ, called to glorify him with each day of our lives, not just one day a year?

This year looks to be quite different though. Oh, there will still be Easter baskets full of candy and chocolate crosses. But the dynamics have changed a bit.

Read the rest at S.U.M.