12/23/24
Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forever more. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death. Revelation 1:17–18
As I was contemplating this verse this morning, it struck me that I've always kind of looked on Christ's resurrection from the dead as an amazing thing, yet it wasn't really an amazing feat for Him. After all, is anything too hard for God, the very one who put the breath of life in much of His creation? Is it amazing that He should be able to lay down His life and take it up again?
A deep sense of awe settles into the core of my being as I realize this truly amazing feat, was a complete and amazing act of love for us. Christ conquered death. Death became our unnatural enemy as the words of God to Adam and Eve were fulfilled. "In the day that you eat of this fruit you shall surely die."
Death looms over everyone of us, and is an appointment that none of us can cancel or reschedule. We can't call the HR department and complain about it. What is truly amazing to think about is the very God that revealed the result of what would happen if Adam and Eve disobeyed and ate of the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, is the same God who already had to plan in place because He knew they would.
So prophets foretold of God's plan and an Angel announced it's beginning. Those living in the realm of time have such a limited view and therefore a limited understanding of it all, so God called men to write it down in black and white so we could see what really happened.
Perhaps the Apostle Pauls said it the best; "For it pleased the Father that in Him (a baby in a manger) all the fullness (of God) should dwell, and by Him (a Savior on a cross) to reconcile all things to Himself, by Himself, whether things on the earth or things in heaven, having made peace (with God) through the blood of the cross." Colossians 1:20
We were just blessed with another beautiful grandson. He is precious and is already bring our whole family much joy at a time we really need it. A young girl named Mary once held her very precious baby boy in her arms, and He has brought us much joy at a time we really need it. Little did Mary know when she was told that her baby boy would "save His people from their sins" that it would require Him to be sacrificed like a lamb. That it was His blood that would be the saving element.
My daughter-in-law I'm sure would be quite humbled to hear her son would one day be a savior of all who come to him..... Yet Jesus had to prepare His own mother for what that looked like, for what was going to happen to her Son. I cannot fathom the anguish of her heart to watch God's plan unfold. I love thinking about the joy that she felt that resurrection morning. Can you hear the the Voice of Jesus today saying "Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades end of Death."
Thank you Heavenly Father for Your wonderful redemptive plan to reconcile sinners to You, a Holy God. Thank you that Mary was a humble servant and bore our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Thank you for the pain and suffering of our lives that helps us conform into the the likeness of the One who suffered and died for us. May our lives be a living sacrifice to HIm. In Jesus name AMEN.
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