Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last. (Luke 23:46)
I love all kinds of music. I listen to a Christian radio station in the car. I've heard many songs that I like, quite a few that I love and some that don't really appeal to me. But the one thing they all have in common is that they praise God!
Last night, while I was searching "You-Tube" for a worship song for today, I came across the song "Why" - written and recorded by Nicole Nordeman. I had never heard the song so I listened. When I tell you that I sat at my computer sobbing, I'm not exaggerating! What a precious gift to be able to write and sing about the most precious gift of all!
We all look at Christ's death from an adult point of view. We imagine in our minds the adults gathered around the cross on the day that Jesus died. We read the words of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John when Jesus cried out to the Father and asked why he had been left alone to die.
Many times when they were little, I would tell my kids to do something and they would follow with that phrase that confounds parents daily - "but, why?" The response they usually got when they were too young to understand was "because I said so". As they got older and could reason and understand what it was I was telling them, I would give them a reason beyond that standard answer.
When Jesus died on the cross that day, he finished the Father's work. He defeated the enemy. His pain became our joy! His death became our life! The scriptures were fulfilled in that instant. His shed blood became the mechanism by which all men are freed from an eternity of separation from heaven. He gave so much for so many, yet he'd have gladly given all for just one! I am one of the ones for whom he died. So are you! The sacrificial lamb - the King of Heaven gave his life for mine! What a precious gift!
Why? Because of the love that God has for all of us! Would you die a horrible death for your child? I know that I would! And in that death I would hope that what ever the purpose I died for would give my child the strength and the courage to live on and let me not have died in vain.
Do you have the strength and courage to be all that your Savior wants you to be? Do you have the strength and courage to share his word and his message of salvation? If the answer to those questions is "no", pray for it! It will come! If the answer is "yes" - then do it with the strongest of heart! Share his word, his death and his resurrection with others! Give back to him who has so unselfishly given of himself!
I love all kinds of music. I listen to a Christian radio station in the car. I've heard many songs that I like, quite a few that I love and some that don't really appeal to me. But the one thing they all have in common is that they praise God!
Last night, while I was searching "You-Tube" for a worship song for today, I came across the song "Why" - written and recorded by Nicole Nordeman. I had never heard the song so I listened. When I tell you that I sat at my computer sobbing, I'm not exaggerating! What a precious gift to be able to write and sing about the most precious gift of all!
We all look at Christ's death from an adult point of view. We imagine in our minds the adults gathered around the cross on the day that Jesus died. We read the words of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John when Jesus cried out to the Father and asked why he had been left alone to die.
Many times when they were little, I would tell my kids to do something and they would follow with that phrase that confounds parents daily - "but, why?" The response they usually got when they were too young to understand was "because I said so". As they got older and could reason and understand what it was I was telling them, I would give them a reason beyond that standard answer.
When Jesus died on the cross that day, he finished the Father's work. He defeated the enemy. His pain became our joy! His death became our life! The scriptures were fulfilled in that instant. His shed blood became the mechanism by which all men are freed from an eternity of separation from heaven. He gave so much for so many, yet he'd have gladly given all for just one! I am one of the ones for whom he died. So are you! The sacrificial lamb - the King of Heaven gave his life for mine! What a precious gift!
Why? Because of the love that God has for all of us! Would you die a horrible death for your child? I know that I would! And in that death I would hope that what ever the purpose I died for would give my child the strength and the courage to live on and let me not have died in vain.
Do you have the strength and courage to be all that your Savior wants you to be? Do you have the strength and courage to share his word and his message of salvation? If the answer to those questions is "no", pray for it! It will come! If the answer is "yes" - then do it with the strongest of heart! Share his word, his death and his resurrection with others! Give back to him who has so unselfishly given of himself!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFfWf_fDObk&feature=related
(reprint from 6/27/10)
