Good Friday?

So today is Good Friday. But what is so 'good' about celebrating the day that someone dies? It's good because that someone is Jesus, and He died for me and YOU. And through His death I can stand in the forgiveness of His grace...more about that in a bit. But first, do you realize the awesomeness and magnitude of what it means to have someone, Jesus, die for you? That, people, is true love. How many of us have someone that we can say loved us enough to die for us...and not just any death, but an awful, painful, humiliating death? I know I can't.

Standing in the forgiveness of His grace...what exactly does that mean? Forgiveness means that I can wake up every day knowing that my screw ups from yesterday, today and tomorrow are not going to be dangled over my head. Grace means that I didn't and can't do anything to deserve this forgiveness, and that no matter what I do I can't earn it...grace is a free gift...and a concept that is difficult to wrap my human mind around. So since I am forgiven, does that mean I can do whatever I want? No, see because grace is freely bestowed upon me to help me not to do what my flesh wants to do. But I still screw up-every day. And I'm still forgiven- every day. And I still have grace- every day. Sound too good to be true, it's not, forgiveness and grace are there for all who believe. I couldn't make this up if I tried. The Bible tells us the following in Ephesians 2:8-9

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Often times in today's world, believing in Jesus gets some bad press. Some people think that living a Christian life equates to living a life filled with legalism, constraints, harsh rules and a loss of freedom- this could not be farther from the truth. Because of choosing to believe in Jesus I have amazing freedom in my life- freedom from worry, guilt, shame, bitterness, the list goes on. Does that mean that I don't still experience those things, no...what it means is that I am free to not have to carry all of that garbage around if I don't want to- because I have a Redeemer waiting to take it all from me with open arms.

The steps you take to have a life like this are simple, and I would love to tell you about them.

So in the festivities of the next few days- all the family, and friends, and caloric binges...try to remember why it is that you are celebrating. And it isn't because this is the one time of the year that it's socially acceptable to gorge yourself on those disgusting chocolate covered marshmallow bunnies.