Crimson Stain – My Thoughts on Easter

Some of you may know I am struggling with some health issues.  I would like to apologize for my irregular posts to our blog.  I’m praying that through God’s gift of insight and modern medicine to the doctors that my health will soon be restored.

Scripture:  “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death…” Philippians 3:10 NIV

Observation: This scripture has been a constant in my life since I read a little book by Hannah Whitall Smith “The Christian’s Secret of a Happy Life,” written in 1916.  She, as Paul, understood the depth of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.  She also showed us the same path taken by Paul which guides us to a level of  understanding and sacrifice that brings us closer to knowing Christ.

Application: As I spend this Easter helping with colored egg hunts, watching children open baskets full of treats and I sit down to eat a wonderful home-cooked family meal.  Today was a day full of sharing and enjoying each other’s company.  Spring is upon us, new flowers are pushing their way up and trees are beginning to leaf out.  I fill the bird feeders and robins are busy making their nest on my porch.  The world is waking up from a sleepy winter and a promise of newness is all around me.  This Easter I find myself looking to the cross and the blood shed there for me.  I contemplate the sacrifice Christ made for me and how long it took me to understand the precious truth found there.

It is my belief that God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit have been in existence since the beginning and that relationship is too profound for any of us to fully understand. This way of thinking leads me to believe there was a conversation in which God laid out his plan for redemption and the sacrifice that would have to be made by Christ.  From the beginning God tried many methods of loving discipline to help us find our focus.  Sometimes those methods meant slavery or death for God’s children. Still his children couldn’t keep God’s commandments and they didn’t have the ability to see the Lord as the one true God.  I look back to the Old Testament and I’m so glad that my life began after Christ’s ministry, sacrifice and resurrection.  I know with all my heart God and Christ spent a lot of time crying as they watched me travel down wrong roads to sin.  What patience He had for me–what Love! I believe there were tears in heaven each time I turned  back to sin.  God’s patience and love for me is found throughout the bible and it’s found there for YOU too!

Prayer: (Taken in part from Hannah Whitall Smith) Lord Jesus I believe you are able and willing to deliver me.  I believe you died for me to set me free not only in the future, but now and here.  I believe you are stronger than sin, I am going to trust you to keep me in your protection – I have tried and failed – I give myself to you Body, Soul and Spirit!  I believe at this moment you have begun to work in me so that I might serve you and do everything according to your pleasure – YOU ARE MY GOD!  I TRUST YOU FULLY! Lord this is my prayer of total surrender to you!  Amen

Laurie