It was such a Blessed Good Friday that I just had to blog, even though it's been a long day and it's quite late at night (almost tomorrow in fact). Still, while the thoughts and emotions were fresh and new, I wanted to put as much of it into writing as possible. And then I also realized that a lot has happened since I last wrote; and I want to include much of that also (but maybe next time)
I went to three Good Friday services today - noon at my church; and then two in Fullerton with my friend who was playing violin for the services. I also had a chance to spend some time with another friend who joined me in the service. After three services, I finally feel ready for Easter. It was like God broke through my hardening outer shell. I have re-committed my life to Christ, and I brought home a nail from one of the services as a symbol to remind me that Christ suffered and died on the cross for my sins. I want to live my life set apart in holiness for HIM.
Ever since the challenge from the critics and some things going on in my life, I feel like I've been somewhat going through the motions. Yet, starting from my devotions in Psalms, as I read David's words, crying out to God, it was clear to me that I needed to do that also. And in the services today, I had a chance to do that. As my friend played her solos; and when one of the singers sang "Lord Have Mercy", I was in tears. Just as a musician's faith is reflected in their music, similarly, a teacher's faith is reflected in their teaching. How can I teach effectively, if I am not learning directly from God by walking closely with HIM? My desire is that when others see my life and my service, that they may see God in me. Amen!
My Pastor's Good Friday message illustrated the pictures painted by the Apostle Paul in Romans 5:6-10 "You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 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, while 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!":
- "powerless" - like being a patient in a hospital room, for sin makes us terminally ill => through Christ, we are healed
- "sinners" - like being an addict in a crack house in living hell through moral failure => through Christ, we are delivered
- "justified" - like being a person guilty and faced with the death penalty in a courtroom => through Christ, we are acquitted
- "saved from God's wrath" - like being in the cemetery, for we deserve death, a death of the soul forever, separated from the presence of God => through Christ, we have life
- "enemies" - like soldiers in a battlefield, because of sin, fighting the Living God in a battle we have no way of winning => In Christ we have peace
Today's devotional passage is in Psalm 42, the words used for one of my favorite worship songs:
"As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, my God."
Yet, it is the chorus that was repeated in vs 5 & 11 which stood out for me this time as I ready the Psalm:
"Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God."
What words of wisdom - to place our hope in God and praise Him, when we are downcast.
I feel like that's exactly what I was able to do today. I had communion twice, and I had a lot of time to reflect in the services - focusing on what Christ did on the cross for me; and the hope that I now have in HIM.
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