He is Risen Indeed!
Hello Dear Readers,
Happy Easter!!
Wow what a wonderful year it has been for me and Ryan. I have been looking back and thinking about how this time last year I was pregnant with Penny and now we are about to go to church with her! God is so good!
This year has had me thinking differently about Easter…in a good way. Ryan and I have been a part of a bible study we started up 6 months ago and we have been slowly making our way through the book of John. I am LOVING it because John writes in a different way than Matthew, Mark and Luke. Sometimes I feel like John gives a little more detail in certain parts of the story of Jesus where things are a bit more impactful. I am bringing this up because this year Ryan and I fasted on Good Friday this year and during that time I focused a lot on Jesus and what His sacrifice TRULY means to me.
To start I want to explain how we fasted. On the morning of Good Friday we both ate breakfast together and then we did not eat anything until breakfast Saturday morning. Anytime I was feeling hungry it would remind me to think about why Good Friday is so special and to think about all the pain and trial that Jesus went through all that day. It helps if I put myself in the shoes of the disciples and to see everything go down and be/feel literally helpless.
Starting in the garden where Jesus is first taken by the Roman soldiers:
““Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, ‘Who is it you want?’
’Jesus of Nazareth,’ they replied.
’I am He,’ Jesus said. When Jesus said ‘I am he,’ they drew back and fell to the ground.””
Jesus knocked the soldiers on their butts just by proclaiming who he was…how do you ignore that kind of power? This, to me, just proves that Jesus could have easily gotten out of the crucifixion just by the power of His words alone. But there would be no Easter, no redemption, no way out of eternal pain and suffering if He did walk away.
Another scene that I was meditating on during this fast were the scenes with Pilate before being judged with crucifixion. Pilate has just asked Jesus was the king of the Jews:
“Jesus said, ‘My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. but now my kingdom is from another place.’
’You are a king, then!’ said Pilate.
Jesus answered, ‘You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.’”
Here again Jesus admits that he could have escaped arrest by having his servants fight for Him, but because His kingdom is not of this world He needed to die for our sin so we could have a way to be with Him in His kingdom. He endured all that pain and suffering just for us! Seriously Dear Reader, wrap your head around that.
The disciples had to watch Jesus walk His cross up the hill, get nailed to that cross, and bleed/suffocate. Picture you have been following this man for three years watching Him speak in parables, heal, flip tables, curse fig trees, etc. Now they are witnessing Him die right in front of their eyes and there is NOTHING they can do but watch the sky grow dark and watch the mob grow mad and callus. It makes me feel helpless, having to walk away from that not knowing what was going to happen next (yes we know, but in that time they didn’t).
Now today He is Risen! He has beaten death and has left the tomb empty for all to see. Jesus is ALIVE! I want you all to know that He is the King of my heart and He can be in yours too. Satan will be defeated because death could not hold Jesus. This Easter I highly encourage you to think more about what this holiday means to you.
Until Next Time,
Peace Out Lovers!
