Out of death and into life!

It is 12:57am on Easter morning, and I've got to say, I am seeing Easter with completely new eyes this year. Like, wow. I hope I can explain it...

Today I struggled with falling away from God in a way that I had thought was dealt with for good. But today, the issue crept up on me and I gave in without a fight. I finally realized how sin keeps us away from the love of the Father, and it broke me. I was more repentant than maybe I have ever been in my life. I didn't want to be the one building walls between me and my Savior, but when I looked down, I saw the cement dust on my hands. The hammer in my fist.

I felt so weak and hopeless, so incredibly human. Here I was singing songs about God breaking down walls, and I was the one pouring the cement into place. What a shock. I finally realized that it really was my sin that nailed Jesus to the cross. It was my humanity, my weakness, my desire for things outside of God's love and goodness.

I have never been able to understand James 4:7-10 like I did today: "Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sadness instead of laughter" (certain verses, NLT).

Then I started listening to East to West by Casting Crowns, crying out to Jesus to show me just "How far the east is from the west, from one scarred hand to the other". I was in complete awe that God would take my sins and cast them away from Him, breaking down the walls that I had built up of my own accord. That He had taken care of it, once and for all, at the cross.

I then turned to The Voice of Truth, also by Casting Crowns, and the verse on the screen was from Psalm 40. As I turned to that chapter, Psalm 40:2-3 resounded with me, giving me hope: "He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God."

Out of mourning, and into praising God. Out of death and into life.

One of Cory Asbury's songs says this: You called me out from the darkness to shine Your light, raised me up from death and gave me life!

Amen. God is calling us to something bigger. He is calling us to turn from the death in this world, to turn away from the sorrow and mourning, and to embrace the dawn of saving grace. To join Him in LIFE. Just as Jesus' death was mourned and stripped so many of hope, His resurrection has filled our hearts with a new hope and our futures with light. We no longer need to live in the bonds of sin, we no longer need to be victims of the things that keep us from Christ. Christ took care of all of these things through His death and resurrection. Sacrifice is required for the forgiveness of sins, and Jesus paid the ultimate price for us, His Bride.

Psalm 51:16-17 says, "You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering. The sacrifice You desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God."

So on this glorious day, this day of hope and life, let us live out the words of John the Baptist, first declared in Isaiah 40: "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near! Prepare the way for the Lord!"(Matthew 3:2-3)

He is risen! He is risen indeed!