Reason #86
The enemy is an accuser. The great accuser. And he knows just what to say, exactly what to say, to make me feel defeated. His accusations come so quickly, one after another. He reminds me of how human I am. He tells me, "You've messed up. You sinner. Look how imperfect you are. Shameful. You're undesriable, unwanted. You deserve nothing good. You're a failure. You're broken and tainted...good for nothing." And I start to believe him. Many are the days I nod in agreement and I begin hanging my head low in defeat, realizing how weak I am. How fleshly I am.
But today is Sunday. After following days of waiting, worrying, and utter confusion, a day of victory emerges. And a day of defeat, too. Jesus was beaten, killed, laid in a tomb and the accuser thought it was finished. But it was Jesus who said, "It is finished." And when he said those words, it was finished...for the accuser, because three days later our Savior walked out of that tomb with blood pulsing through his veins and death was defeated. The accuser was defeated. And because of Jesus' work, on my behalf, I get to live in victory, not defeat.
Even though I know this truth, many are the days I stuggle with defeat. But today, I saw hope in a new way. Jesus is alive, but the Easter story doesn't stop there. Hebrews 7:25 says, "Therefore He is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through Him. He lives forever to interce with God on their behalf." And my heart swelled with joy. See not only does He live, He lives to fight for me. To give me victory again and again. And the accuser throws out his accusations and my Savior, my advocate, stands up and says to God, "I redeemed her. She is spotless. She is made in our image, beautiful in my eyes. I took away her shame. I desire her. She is one of my treasured posessions. She is valuable to me. I'm binding up her brokennes. I have washed away her sins."
And we celebrate Easter thanking Him for enduring our pain, our shame, our humiliation. We thank him for carrying the burden of our sin so that we didn't have to. We thank him for saving us and giving us a second chance. But it didn't stop there. It doesn't stop there. The beauty of that act is that he lives to fight for us. To stand up for us. To restore us and reconcile us.
So although the accuser may point out my weakness so easily and accurately, I am thankful for a resurrected Savior who lives so that I don't have to live in defeat, for his redemptive power that fights to give me victory day after day, and for his amazing grace that saves a wretch like me.
#86 - Because Jesus saves!
"...because He poured out His life unto death and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sins of many and made intercession for the transgressors." Isaiah 53:12
But today is Sunday. After following days of waiting, worrying, and utter confusion, a day of victory emerges. And a day of defeat, too. Jesus was beaten, killed, laid in a tomb and the accuser thought it was finished. But it was Jesus who said, "It is finished." And when he said those words, it was finished...for the accuser, because three days later our Savior walked out of that tomb with blood pulsing through his veins and death was defeated. The accuser was defeated. And because of Jesus' work, on my behalf, I get to live in victory, not defeat.
Even though I know this truth, many are the days I stuggle with defeat. But today, I saw hope in a new way. Jesus is alive, but the Easter story doesn't stop there. Hebrews 7:25 says, "Therefore He is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through Him. He lives forever to interce with God on their behalf." And my heart swelled with joy. See not only does He live, He lives to fight for me. To give me victory again and again. And the accuser throws out his accusations and my Savior, my advocate, stands up and says to God, "I redeemed her. She is spotless. She is made in our image, beautiful in my eyes. I took away her shame. I desire her. She is one of my treasured posessions. She is valuable to me. I'm binding up her brokennes. I have washed away her sins."
And we celebrate Easter thanking Him for enduring our pain, our shame, our humiliation. We thank him for carrying the burden of our sin so that we didn't have to. We thank him for saving us and giving us a second chance. But it didn't stop there. It doesn't stop there. The beauty of that act is that he lives to fight for us. To stand up for us. To restore us and reconcile us.
So although the accuser may point out my weakness so easily and accurately, I am thankful for a resurrected Savior who lives so that I don't have to live in defeat, for his redemptive power that fights to give me victory day after day, and for his amazing grace that saves a wretch like me.
#86 - Because Jesus saves!
"...because He poured out His life unto death and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sins of many and made intercession for the transgressors." Isaiah 53:12
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