Easter Love

It's Easter Sunday.  

It's the day that Christians around the world rejoice and celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  We revel in the fact that the tomb was empty and perfect love won the day.  

It's the day that reminds true believers how much we are loved and cherished by our Maker, but more importantly we are reminded of the cost of our salvation. 

Jesus lived a perfect life.  He lived that perfect life knowing how it would all end. I love these verses from John 18: 4-7, which tells of the soldiers coming to arrest Jesus:

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.  

Again he asked them, "Who is it you want?"  And they said, "Jesus of Nazareth."  

It amazes me that the soldiers who were there to arrest him were kneeling before him.  He had to remind them of their mission by again asking them who  they were there for.  Jesus knew God's plan.  

After his arrest he was beaten, tortured, and humiliated. He was given a painful crown of thorns and made to carry his own cross up the hill.  He was then nailed to that cross and left to die the death of a criminal, between two other men.  This Jesus who had led a perfect life died a death that he did not deserve.  He died a death that we deserve.  He died the death of a sinner.  And his final proclamation before his last breath was a reminder that God's plan had been fulfilled with these words, "It is finished." 

We like to rationalize our sins.  We make ourselves feel better by comparing our sins to those of others.  We like to point out that while yes, we have sinned, we certainly haven't committed murder or something of that magnitude, however, to God sin is sin.  It doesn't matter how big or how small it is, it is all sin.  Sin is a great equalizer and puts us all on an equal playing field.  It makes us all the same, the wealthy and the poor, the afflicted and the healthy, the young and the old.  

Sin makes us all in need of saving.  

We all need God's grace and mercy.  God calls us to "Love one another as I have loved you."  He doesn't say to love the people who agree with you on everything.  He doesn't say to love those who have the same lifestyle you do.  He doesn't say to love only those who are easy to love. 

He simply says to love. 

I'm 52 and if the average person lives to be in their 80's, I'm almost two-thirds of the way through this life God has given me. I could defy the odds and live to be 100, but I need to be thankful I've made it to my current age as I don't know what tomorrow brings. 

I love this saying, "I will never regret getting old.  I know too many people who have never had that privilege."  

Amen.

Only God knows when I will have accomplished what He needs me to.   

But regardless, time is running short friends.  None of us is promised a tomorrow.  

I've got a lot of loving, praising and fellowshiping to do.  

I hope you do too.