My Savior Lives!

What a glorious day, today, Easter Sunday! The day Jesus defeated death by rising from the grave. In service this morning we sang a song titled “And God Cried” by Chris and Diane Machen (God first cried in sorrow over the death of His Son but three days later cried out in rejoice over Jesus’ resurrection) and I envisioned the heavenly celebration of Easter Sunday. Today is the day God was reunited with His Child. I can only imagine the joy, the true elation God must have felt in wrapping His arms around His Son once again that blessed day.

Because I have accepted and believe in the gift of what Jesus did for me on the cross that one Friday, I have the promise of eternal life and believe that I will one day experience that same joy in being reunited, not only with my Heavenly Father, but with my child—my Alysa. It is my faith in what Jesus did for me on the cross that offers me hope for the future in spite of my daughter’s death here on earth.

I encourage anyone who does not know Jesus or who is unfamiliar with just what “price” Jesus paid for us on the cross, to consult someone of faith—e-mail me if you need to!

You see, Jesus saved me once, this past Friday (Good Friday), as He died on the cross to pay my penalty of sin (to read more about Jesus’ death, I highly recommend the book Six Hours One Friday by Max Lucado). Jesus bore God’s wrath—His own Father’s judgment—in my place, and that should have been enough for me to live my life for Him…but it wasn’t.

Because we are so entranced in our sin, it is easy to lose touch with just how our sin separates us from God, or the fact that our sin would permanently keep us from God if it were not for Jesus. We know we are sinners but because we are so accustomed to our sinful nature, the true price Jesus paid for us becomes intangible at times.

God is perfect; He can not be associated with sin. Jesus—who was perfect—became sin for us on the cross. God sent His Son to this earth, knowing He would be separated from Him. As Jesus was on the cross, He called out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). Jesus called out to His dad—and His dad could not save Him. God couldn’t not save Jesus because He was incapable; He couldn’t save Jesus because someone had to die for our sin and God sent Jesus to do just that.

So Jesus saved me once by dieing on the cross in my place, and that should have been enough. But He saved me again by giving me hope after my daughter passed away.

Because I was born with a sinful heart, I may lose sight of the significance of what Jesus did for me on the cross. But I am very in touch with the hopelessness the death of a child can bring to one’s life. The loneliness, the sorrow, the desperation of grief is very tangible. I remember how badly it hurt.

Yet God gave me hope. He promised me that life could be great again in spite of my daughter’s death. He comforts me by using my daughter’s death for a greater purpose; to further His kingdom; to reveal His glory. God saved me a second time by offering me hope for my future.

For all of this, it is my deepest desire to spend the rest of my life dedicated to His service. I praise you sweet Lord, that You have risen! That You overcame death to prove that those who believe will not stay dead but will have eternal life with You. That You overcame death to prove that You are God. I praise God that You are alive and well, dwelling within us today!