Thursday, April 13, 2006

The Most Amazing Love Story

It's so humbling how God truly works His wonders in us. Yesterday I struggled to see His light, let alone keep my eyes on Him. But as the day progressed, I began to see Him more clearly and as it came time to close my eyes yet again, He brought me a deep sense of peace, in knowing that things will be okay in His time. This morning I woke up with an anticipation of the weekend which is on the horizon. I went into my storage room determined to find my "Resurrection Eggs" so I can sit and talk with my kids about the Easter story, through the use of 12 symbols representing Easter. They usually would have been out sooner, but with the move, they were packed away and it's been difficult to find their box, so we'll spend a fun-filled weekend learning with these. Last year, I was blown away by the questions my kids came up with and I can't wait to hear what they want to know this year! What most people might not know is that growing up I learned about the crucifixion and the resurrection, but it's only been in the last 13 years that I've truly experienced it with great celebration. When I became a mother, I knew I wanted my kids to experience the birth of Christ with great anticipation and what His crucifixion and resurrection represent for us with great celebration!

Despite the rough patches and curvy roads in the last while, this will be a truly amazing weekend. For Little Miss, it's her first Easter after asking Jesus to come into her life...I think for a mom this is the most special thing...to have led all three of my kids to Christ by their bedside...that's truly the most important job and gift we can ever have! The special thing about this one was that our boys helped in the process of telling their sister what she needed to do and why and then we all prayed together...that was a very amazing experience!

I am simply going to end off with Christ's amazing love story...I pray you'll all have a very blessed weekend and that you'll feel His love in a very special way as you partake in all the celebrations of Easter...Hallelujah. He is risen!

Matthew 27:32 - 28:20
As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. They came to a place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull). There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. Above his head they placed the written charge against him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS. Two robbers were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, "You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!"

In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. "He saved others," they said, "but he can't save himself! He's the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, 'I am the Son of God.' " In the same way the robbers who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.

From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"—which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

When some of those standing there heard this, they said, "He's calling Elijah."
Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. The rest said, "Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to save him."

And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.

At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.

When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, "Surely he was the Son of God!"
Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's sons.

As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus' body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.

The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. "Sir," they said, "we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, 'After three days I will rise again.' So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first."

"Take a guard," Pilate answered. "Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how." So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

There was a violent earthquake, for 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."

So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me."

While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, "You are to say, 'His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.' If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble." So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

7 comments:

Kc said...

I'm so thankful for your blessings. I can really appreciate your joy in this first Easter for your little one. ;-)

Thanks for sharing in your blessings and for sharing the wonderful story here.

May God bless you all in this most special time of rememberance.

Kitty Cheng said...

That's surely the most amazing love story!

Have a blessed Easter.

Curious Servant said...

I haven't much to add to that.

But I do want to wish you a happy Easter!

God bless!

Cinder said...

Kc~Thanks so much for all that you share with us and for your encouraging words! I hope God has blessed you and your family in this special time of remembrance...he has definitely blessed ours!

Kitty~Thanks so much for dropping by...it surely is the most amazing love story! I hope you had a very blessed Easter...we'll talk to you soon!

CS~Thanks so much for dropping by and for your Easter wishes...I hope your family had a blessed Easter...God bless!

audrey` said...

You're indeed a very wonderful and special Mummy, Cinder!

Corry said...

Such a beautiful post and I hope you and yours had a very blessed Easter and your girl enjoyed it!:-)

God's Grace.

Anonymous said...

happy easter, cinder. God bless! =)