Easter is approaching. In the business of
life I have really been caught off guard with how quickly it has arrived this
year. We have been spending time in our Bible studies preparing our hearts for
the weekend, but it still seems as if I have been completely unaware of the
holiday’s arrival.
Today though we sat in a Bible study and
listened to a detailed account of the crucifixion of Christ. It isn’t the first
time that I have done something like that, but this time I did it while
thinking on 2 Corinthians 5:21, “For our
sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”
For our
sake. For my sake.
Before I was brought into this world;
before I was conceived; before my existence was even thought of, I put a man on
a cross. My sin, oh how wretched it is, put an innocent man to death. That
concept is a hard one to grasp because thinking before our existence requires
stepping outside of our currently reality.
Many times when I think about what Christ
did for me when he died, I think about it as him dying for whatever would
happen in the future, not that he was dying for what he already knew was going
to happen. That he was literally dying for sins that I had yet to commit, but
were still known to him.
Easter is a time for rejoicing and a time
for mourning. Mourning over our sin and how we are such imperfect people who
need a Savior. And a time for rejoicing because our Savior came, and loved us
so much that he drank the cup of wrath so that we never have to drink that cup.
I pray this is a reality in your life
today; that you are rejoicing in the love shown by our selfless Savior.
I think one thing that the Lord has shown
me since I have been out here is what a huge sinner I am. When you take time to
go to another country to do ministry people always encourage you by telling you
how brave you are, or how the Lord is going to use you in amazing ways. And
while all of those things are comforting to the uncertain girl getting on a
plane for an undefined period of time, they are also a slight distraction to the
reality of the situation.
If anything, being out here in the jungle,
confronted with many different situations and inconveniences, I have been
floored by my sinfulness. This has been the fast track to sanctification, but I
am ashamed to admit how many times I have failed and not responded in the way
that I should. But, as always, God has been faithful to gently bring me back to
himself and give grace.
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This Easter I am reminded of my Savior and
his selflessness. I am reminded that He didn’t die because I might be born and
sin one day, but He died because He knew that He was creating me some 2,000
years later and that I was going to sin, but He wanted to save me.
Our God is all-knowing, sacrificial,
spotless, and gracious in the way that He molds us daily. I can’t wait to
celebrate these things this weekend with my fellow brothers and sisters in
Christ.
Please be praying for the people that we
are sharing with that their eyes would be opened to the fact that Jesus really
did die for their sins.
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