“If you love me you will obey what I command.” John 14:15
“Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind.’ this is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘ Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Matthew 22: 37-39
Easter services are over. I hope Easter was especially meaningful to you this year. Amidst the egg-dyeing, candy consuming madness, I hope you found time to reflect on God’s great love- The Greatest Love- He has for each and every one of us.
I also hope you feel encouraged. When life hits some bumps in the road, you do not need to remain discouraged. Evil cannot prevail. Christ has already won!
As I put away the decorations, and use up the leftover food, I wonder how tomorrow will differ from today?
How will my attitude, my actions, my awareness differ?
Reading through the Easter story accounts in the gospels opened my eyes to things I missed before. Although Jesus was the Son of God, He felt fear. His humanity shone through.
As I think of Jesus praying in Gethsemane, repeatedly asking God to take away this cup, I ask why He went through with it? He certainly did not deserve that humiliation, that pain, that death. Why did He endure it? He could have called 10,000 angels, but He did not. Why did He choose it?
The answer is obvious: He loved you and He loved me so very much and wanted to see us reunited with God the Father, and with Himself. His sacrifice on Calvary was the road God authored as our way back to Him. The only remaining roadblock is our own pride.
Jesus had a choice. Because of His deep love for you and for me, He chose the most humiliating death, the criminal execution on a cross, so that you and I might have the chance to live with God for eternity.
That is the reason my life needs to be different. Every day on this earth should count. I need to honor and glorify God with each thought, each word, each deed.
If Easter means what we say it means, that the innocent Son of God, died a criminal’s death for me, my life ought to reflect that love.
I ask myself, what habits do I have which seem acceptable to me, yet not to God? How does Jesus feel when I celebrate Easter on Sunday, then charge into the following Monday, refusing to change?
Here’s a link to a song which gripped my heart months back. Close your eyes as you listen to it. Allow the Holy Spirit to reveal to you what you are holding too close.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpHYJScbxCY
Allow yourself to honor God by making the right choices today!
Reflection:
1) Identify an area in your life you need to change.
2)Pray about it.
3) List three methods of improving this area.
4) Identify and talk to another Christian who will help keep you accountable.
5) Implement!
Please know I and many of your Christian brothers and sisters are holding you up in prayer as you complete this week! Please, each of you reading this, pray for each other as we each follow God’s leading.
Please return Monday, April 16, for the next post.