As we approach Easter Sunday, I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means for us that Jesus died for our sins. Think about it for a second: the perfect, holy, and sinless creator of the universe died a brutal, ugly, and painful death for someone like you and me. Jesus took on every sin in the world and the wrath of God so that we don’t have to live in hopelessness.
And yet, we live our lives as beaten down and defeated, looking for love and hope in everything else besides the One To Whom all praise is due. So here’s my letter to the broken down and defeated, the ones searching for something that’s been there all along, you just have to trust and believe in Him.
Dear You, I know you’re feeling lost. I know you’re looking at your life upset with how it’s turning out. I know you’re ready to leave everything you know to search for something that’s going to make you happy. But maybe you need to look up and around. Maybe you need to be right where you are, take a deep breath, and feel all that is around you. Listen to that voice inside of you that you’ve worked so hard to silence. Listen to that voice that’s telling you to stop chasing all of the empty things around you and cling to the One who is perfect, holy, merciful, and gracious. To the only One that will ever love you without conditions and without end. Maybe it’s time to let down all of those walls you’ve built up in fear of your hurt and your painful past. Maybe it’s time to cling, cry out, and to rest in Him.
Dear You, I know you’re trying to find some middle ground of still having the things you love in this world and to follow Jesus at the same time. But it doesn’t work that way, dear one. The things of this earth will all pass away, but Jesus is forever. He offers so much more than that person, job, or experience you’re clinging to. He gives us everything we could ever need and things that we didn’t even know we wanted. The Savior of the world wants you to follow after Him with everything you have, be it a little or a lot. He’s the only One that can satisfy your soul, no matter how good and cool the world looks to you, He’s the only thing we’ll forever have.
Dear You, I know you didn’t expect your life to look this way. I know you didn’t want all of these trials and hardships, breakups and tears. I know you want things to remain constant and you want to see the good in everything. But it’s a broken world. You know that, but you never expected it to be like this. But trial after trial, keep clinging to the One that brings you joy in every trial. Keep clinging to the One that has never left you and will never forsake you. Keep clinging to the One that reminds you that He will get the glory out of this no matter how bad it looks.
Jesus is better. Jesus is constant. Jesus is loving and gracious and merciful and kind. Jesus is our everlasting God and Savior. When all looks lost, keep clinging to Him and glorifying Him. Satan trembles when we praise Him, even in the darkest of days.
As we approach Easter Sunday, keep clinging to Risen King. Praise God for the hope we have in Him! Praise God for what Jesus did on the cross! He is Risen, y’all! He is Risen indeed.
“Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure. For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption. You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
Psalm 16:9-11 ESV
Beauty in the Ashes 