Easter Decor Has Meaning

With the passing of winter and the hope of spring, we enjoy seeing signs of new life inside and outside our homes. Crocuses pop out of the ground, daffodils shoot up and wave their pretty faces at us as we pass by. The grass turns green and leaves begin to sprout on the limbs of trees. Inside, we put away all the snowmen and bring out the Easter decorations. I love to decorate my mantle with the meanings of Easter.

This week is called Holy Week as we look to the things that happened to our Lord Jesus more than 2000 years ago. It is the culmination of why he came from heaven in the form of a baby and was born in a manger in Bethlehem. Events of the week included the Last Supper, the washing of the disciples feet, the betrayal, the trial, the walk down the via Delorosa and up to Calvary's Hill where Jesus was crucified between two thieves. He willingly laid down His life for our transgressions.

Here are the things on my mantle and their meaning:

Cross - Philippians 2:8 “And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” I Peter 2:24, He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds we are healed.” It is by Jesus death on the cross that our sins are forgiven, we are made clean by his shed blood and we are promised healing by the wounds he suffered. What a Savior!

Light – John 8:12, Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” 9:5, “I am the Light of the World”, 12:46, “I have come into the world as light so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.” 

Lilies - “I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valley.” Song of Solomon 2:1 Lilies are white, signifying purity. The flower has a drooping head and retires behind the shade of its broad green leaves; an emblem of lowliness or humility which is Jesus Christ.

Lamb – John 1:29 John the Baptist announced Jesus saying, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” And in verse 36 John repeats his statement, “Behold, the Lamb of God.”

Exodus 12:21-27 The pascal lamb was offered by every family in Israel at every Passover. John declares that he is the great sin-offering of which all the lambs slain on Jewish altars were the types. “He takes away the sin of the world” - he is the great sin bearer, not for a single generation, but for all time, not for a single family or race but for the world.

Lion - Revelation 5:5, “And one of the elders said to me, Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” Jesus was born in the lineage of David, He was worthy because he was slain. He conquered sin, death and the grave. In Isaiah 11:6 we read; “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.” This is referring to the good days to come when the Jews return to Israel and the Messiah comes. It means that everyone will live peacefully together.

Angels - Matthew 28:1-7 “an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples; He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him. Now I have told you.” I find it interesting that angels have foretold the birth of Christ, were very present at the tomb and will also herald Christ's return. Matthew 24:31, “And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” I Thessalonians 4:16, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God.”

Dear Jesus, I am so thankful for the plan of salvation that provided an escape from the wages of sin and has given me a new life in Christ. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins and for being my Friend. I thank you for the spring time and all the signs of new life we can see outdoors. But I am also thankful for your continual mercies to me every morning as I seek you. I love you Lord.

The First Good Friday

 The other day I was thinking one thing and said another.  I referred to the Friday before Easter as Black Friday instead of Good Friday.  This happens to some people as age creeps in!  But it got me to thinking that it was a black Friday to some people.

Jesus – although Jesus knew the plan of the Father from the beginning of time, on the Mount of Olives Jesus prayed, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done.” And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. Luke 22:42-44 This was Maundy Thursday; Jesus had been betrayed by Judas and it was a black day.

Mary the mother of Jesus – Can you imagine how the mother heart of Mary felt as she watched her son being beaten, and eventually put upon a cross? But Mary knew this man was not just her first born son. She knew He was God's son. And she may have been dismayed to see him be crucified, wondering how the plan of God would work out. Although as a good Jewish girl she may have remembered her Old Testament teaching, she also had the words of Simeon when she took Jesus to the temple. He foretold that a “sword would pierce her heart also”. Even though Jesus told John the disciple to take care of her after he was gone, for Mary, this was a very black Friday

Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of James and Joseph, were with Jesus' mother at the cross. They had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him. Luke 23:49 They even accompanied the body to the tomb and later went back at dawn and saw the empty tomb. They wondered who had stolen the body when an angel appeared to them, telling them that he had risen. These women loved Jesus and on that Friday they thought he was gone for good. And it was truly a black Friday to them.

Peter, James and John – these men were known as the inner circle. They had the most intimate interaction with Jesus those last three years and here was Jesus hanging on a cross! It was a black Friday.  

Pontius Pilate – was a Roman governor under the emperor of Tiberius in the first century. He is best known as the judge of Jesus' trial. He unwillingly handed Jesus over to the soldiers to be crucified. His heart was burdened and he washed his hands and said, “I am innocent of the blood of this just Person.” Matthew 27:24 It was a black Friday.

Heavenly Father/Almighty God – Because the Son had taken sin upon Himself, the Father turned His back. One commentator said, “Somehow God was separated from God.” Jesus cried out in anguish, ”My God, My God, Why have you forsaken me?” It was a black Friday.

With the exception of God the Father and Jesus, His Son, all these people were unaware that “it was Friday, but Sunday was coming!”  It's Friday, but Sunday's Coming is a link to an awesome version of Tony Compolo's classic sermon by Don Buck P Creacy. You see, this “black Friday” was really a Good Friday because of what Jesus did on the cross. I John 2:2 says, “He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.” When Jesus said from the cross, “It is finished”, the price for our sin was paid.

Luke 24:1-7  But on the first day of the week at early dawn, they went to the tomb . . .they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here but has risen. Remember how he told you while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” Jesus was alive and they ran to tell the good news! So we know the Friday before Easter as Good Friday because of the death of Jesus, who gave His life that we may have life more abundant. John 10:10

A chorus to the hymn, One Day, gives us the gospel in a nutshell.

Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me;

Buried He carried my sins far away;

Rising He justified freely forever;

One day He's coming – O Glorious Day!

Learning to Pray

He was what a teenager would say was an old man. Small in stature, unassuming. Quiet. But when Charlie Sites prayed, he was a giant! As a teenager I attended St Johns Evangelical United Brethren (now United Methodist) Church. It is a small church out in the country near my home. On Wednesday evenings people gathered for prayer meeting. And we prayed! It was customary for those who could to kneel during the prayer time. And most often Brother Sites would pray. He often used the words, “Gracious Father” as he addressed our God. And he prayed about the needs of the people of this church. And it gave me a glimpse into this faithful man who obviously knew his heavenly Father intimately and also gave me a lesson in the power of prayer. Brother Sites prayed so naturally it made me think that I could actually pray out loud in prayer meeting. So one evening when Harold and Hazel Wise took me home from prayer meeting, I said to Harold, who always led the prayer meetings, that I would pray if he called on me. It was a gutsy move but I felt led that I should and could do this! And the next Wednesday, Harold called on me and I prayed. Remember, it was Hazel Wise (you can read my blog about her here) that taught all of us teen girls how to pray sentence prayers. This was just another step in my Christian walk, a step of obedience.

I went to Bible College for two years and prayer was a big part of my life there. We learned to pray specific prayers for specific needs and to exercise faith. Every March a week of classes were canceled to allow us to pray for requests that were sent in to the college. Eighteen years as a pastor's wife was also a good training ground for learning to pray.

So with all this “training”, why is it still a battle to have a consistent prayer life? I believe it is the enemy of our souls, Satan, who tries to keep us from praying. Someone has wisely said, "Satan laughs at our toiling, mocks at our wisdom, but trembles when we pray.” We can even be busy doing good things for God but this doesn't preclude a prayer life. In fact, anything we do for God is always done better with God's help. John 15:7, If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

It amazes me how many adults are not comfortable praying out loud in public. I hope that doesn't sound like a judgmental statement. I truly don't mean it to be. But I would like to give some encouragement that it isn't so difficult to pray in public. The Lord desires our hearts, not perfect words.

Here are some things I have found that help me:

In your private time, begin praying out loud. It will help you to hear your own voice and it will also bring emotion to the surface. Begin by praising God for all the blessings He has given you. Name them. One by one! Praise Him for Who He is. Tell Him the innermost secrets in your heart. Ask Him for His guidance. When necessary, ask for forgiveness. God also knows our thoughts. So you can also pray silently. It isn't always conducive to pray out loud, depending on where you may be. I heard someone say that the devil doesn't know our thoughts, but he can hear us pray. He is aware of the power of prayer and the power in the blood, and the power of praise. I think it is vital that we give voice to our praise to let the enemy of our soul know whose side we are on!

When you hear or read a prayer request, pray right away. Don't wait or you may forget. That doesn't mean you won't pray for that request again, but at least you have brought it to the Lord and it may be a timely need.

When you are alone, driving down the road, etc. ask the Lord, “Who should I be praying for today?” And He will bring to your mind some of those requests/people that need prayer. You can pray anytime, anywhere. It doesn't have to be your regular devotional time.

Write some of your prayers. Journal. You will be amazed how in tune with His Spirit you will get as you write to Jesus. Write just like you talk. And know that He cares and understands and will give you the longings of your heart. James 1:5, If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. There have been a few times as I was writing a prayer that God revealed my heart and other times when I realized the answer!

Pray God's Word. I recommend a book by Beth Moore, Praying God's Word Day By Day. This book is about “taking prayer and The Word and igniting them with faith in what God says He can do.” - Beth Moore.

Dear Jesus, I pray that those who read these words will be encouraged to begin or restart their personal conversations with You. Help them to realize they are talking to their Friend, Jesus and to Abba Father. May they feel your Presence near and may they experience a sweet communion as they pour out their hearts to You, their loving Savior. Amen

The secret of all failure is our failure in secret prayer.

Stop Holding On

“We are hanging on”, is the answer a friend gave me recently when I asked how he was doing. It brought to my mind a contemporary Christian song by Casting Crowns, Just Be Held. I have been enjoying this song and the messages within it for a few weeks. In my minds eye I see a person holding onto the end of a rope with a look of desperation on their face. (you can hear the song here.)

One line in the chorus sums it up: I'm on the throne, stop holding on and just be held.

God is still on His throne and He is in control. He is in control of the world, as well as our lives. We don't need to fear. We can trust Him in the little things and the big things. Some things happen in our lives that are not pleasant and we wonder why? We live in a fallen world and sin abounds. Some things He allows for our good or growth. But some things may happen as a result of our disobedience or sin.

So what should we do? This song says, “stop holding on.” To me this means surrender. Surrender to God's plan, surrender to God saying, repent. Surrender to your selfish desires. You have probably heard the phrase, “Let Go and Let God”. The old time phraseology was - die to self. Why is it so hard to surrender our will to God's will? Other than the fact that we are sinful people, I think it is a lack of trust. Why wouldn't we be able to trust a loving God who only wants the best for us? So, the key is to know the Father's heart and realize we can put our trust in him and surrender our lives to him. Psalm 37:5, Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and he will act. Psalm 9:10, And those who know your name will put their trust in you; for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.

So picture this person holding onto the rope in despair, and then letting go of the rope. But instead of destruction, he falls into the loving arms of Jesus! In this life! It is a safe place. It is a warm, comforting place. It is a place of peace. John 14:27, Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you, Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. I love this verse found in Zephaniah 3:17, The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.

My prayer is that you will remember that God is on His throne. Remember to let go of your plans and trust God's plans. Remember to rest in His arms, feel his love surround you and just be held.

"Just Be Held"

Hold it all together
Everybody needs you strong
But life hits you out of nowhere
And barely leaves you holding on

And when you're tired of fighting
Chained by your control
There's freedom in surrender
Lay it down and let it go

So when you're on your knees and answers seem so far away
You're not alone, stop holding on and just be held
Your world's not falling apart, it's falling into place
I'm on the throne, stop holding on and just be held
Just be held, just be held

If your eyes are on the storm
You'll wonder if I love you still
But if your eyes are on the cross
You'll know I always have and I always will

And not a tear is wasted
In time, you'll understand
I'm painting beauty with the ashes
Your life is in My hands

So when you're on your knees and answers seem so far away
You're not alone, stop holding on and just be held
Your worlds not falling apart, its falling into place
I'm on the throne, stop holding on and just be held
Just be held, just be held

Lift your hands, lift your eyes
In the storm is where you'll find Me
And where you are, I'll hold your heart
I'll hold your heart
Come to Me, find your rest
In the arms of the God who won't let go

So when you're on your knees and answers seem so far away
You're not alone, stop holding on and just be held
Your worlds not falling apart, its falling into place
I'm on the throne, stop holding on and just be held (stop holding on and just be held)
Just be held, just be held, just be held, just be held

Photo courtesy of nuttakit at FreeDigitalPhotos.net