04.05.2007

Romans 5:6, 8-11
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. … But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Isaiah 53:7
He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.

Hello friends,

How are you all? How has Holy Week been? For those of you who practice Lent, I hope that you have been able to focus your thoughts on the Lord rather than on the things you’ve chosen to fast from. Resurrection Sunday – Easter – is just around the corner… only a few days from now. There have been a lot of things that I wanted to share with you about art and other such related things, but it doesn’t seem fitting to draw your attention away from the season.
Easter is one of those holidays that I’ve celebrated all of my life however I’ve only been a Christian for about five and a half years. The rest of my years I celebrated it just like any other holiday, and hadn’t the slightest inkling of celebrating it because of Christ. But now that I know who Christ is and have a relationship with Him, what a glorious day to throw our hands up in jubilation! I’ve been reading through the end of Matthew to follow the teaching and days before Christ’s crucifixion, and today I read through Gethsemane and Jesus’ arrest.
It truly is amazing that the Son of God would allow Himself to be captured as an innocent man, and say nothing before His accusers. The One who had no sin was given to the hands of men to suffer for the sins of the past, present, and future… We by nature are separated from God and have no way to get to Him, and Christ put in the bridge so that we could have a relationship with God. What is more is that although the Cross is glorious because it is a symbol of the undeserved gift God offered us through the suffering of Christ, it is important to remember – as Easter reminds us – that the Cross is an empty cross. Jesus did not remain dead and entombed, but rather He came to life and is living today at ‘the right hand of the Father.’ He lives and intercedes for us, and we will one day see Him face to face. His resurrection to life is His victory over death – and in Him, we too have victory over death in the end.
The suffering and the resurrection of Christ go hand in hand, and without one or the other our salvation would not be complete. How beautiful it is that God works it out in this way! What an amazing message of hope that we have in our Savior. Praises be unto the Lord for His mercy.

Although Easter is an amazing time to remind us of the goodness of God, and an awesome time to share with others His goodness, I earnestly pray that this essential fact is something we always remember throughout the entire year. May it be something we live and breathe by, always praising God and rejoicing in our salvation. I pray that your time with family and friends will be joyful, even if those you celebrate with do not know Christ. I pray for their hearts, that they would see in you some light of Him who saved you, and that you would be praying in your hearts for them.

Have a wonderful Easter weekend. Praise the Lord!
In love and in Him,
Your sister,
Yvonne