"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9
As Easter draws near, I was in hopes that I could find some dramatic illustration that would move our hearts and bring tears to our eyes as we remember what Christ Jesus encountered on the cross. My creative juices ran dry as I attempted to find unique ways to imagine that dark and evil day. I prayed, "Lord, please, show me what to say!" But there was...
nothing.
I desired to share some horrific story that would allow us to see just the tip of the iceberg to explain what Jesus suffered during his separation from his holy and perfect Father. In the process of attempting to comprehend that horrible moment in time, I remained unsuccessful. Again there was...
nothing.
But what continued to surface in my mind again and again was my own sin. I can honestly share with you that Jesus Christ is the most important part of my entire life...he is everything to me! Yet I daily continue to struggle with sin! I have sins that repeat every day. I have new sins that creep up out of no where. I have sins that I am not even aware of at the moment of committing them. As hard as I try, sin remains. As deep as I confess, sin returns. As much as I hate it, at times, sin wins. And I realize that, next to Christ, I am...
nothing.
And then the Holy Spirit intervened! He opened my eyes, encouraged my heart and strengthened my soul as he simply reminded me of the single most important issue of that horrible Good Friday. He brought to my mind again that the purpose of Christ's suffering was...
forgiveness.
Good Friday was a very bad Friday. I never want to forget or minimize what happened that day; however, Friday did come to an end and Sunday came. All of history changed in the single moment of his heartbeat returning. We will remember the crucifixion but we will celebrate the truth of his unexplainable and incomprehensible miracle. That is enough to move my heart and bring tears to my eyes as I experience his...
forgiveness.
Forgive me, sweet Jesus! I praise you for your grace! I now live...
forgiven.
