Words and Stones

 I am encouraged this morning to encourage others today with a word from last Saturday night. Shoot, that's my passion. But I want to encourage you with a little something I spoke about while sitting in my living room talking to my wife and kids on the Saturday before Easter. One particular moment during Jesus' arrest, flogging, crucifixion, and burial was the moment when Jesus' body had been resting in the tomb,surely not even chilled yet in the earth, and the chief priest and Pharisees gathered with Pilate to say this, "Sir, we remember, while he was still alive, how that deceiver said, "After three days I will rise.' "Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and saying to the people, 'He has risen from the dead." So the deception will be worse than the first. Pilate said to them, "You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how." So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard. 

  Have you ever been kicked when you were down? I mean, it's bad enough to go through something, but for others to keep jabbing at you is just wrong. Have you ever had someone keep talking about you, calling you names, after their dirty deed was done and over with? It's almost if they are rolling stones in front of your beaten down life to shatter all hopes to rise again. This moment in time, Jesus being in the tomb, the Pharisees running their mouths, shows that hope can live in the coldest of places. Hope can move away the heaviest of stones that leave you feeling trapped in isolation. There is hope today, and that hope is found in the resurrected life of Jesus.

  Today, through the power of His resurrection, you shall overcome!  

Comments

[Michelle]

"Today, through the power of His resurrection, you shall overcome!"

Can I hear a big fat AMEN in the house!?!?

Glory!

Thanks for popping over in my world today....man, Jason Upton sounds so familiar.....I wonder if he played at the Soulfest (www.thesoulfest.com) last year....oh wait! I just checked and he is playing *this* year on Friday with Casting Crowns......rock on! I will def. grab his CD....thanks so much for the suggestion.

So yeah......I've had my share of people kicking me when I was down.....and I shamefully admit that I am sure that I have done it in my past to others when I was walking my own walk in life (and thought I had it all down, yk?) But through God's grace.....He has given me the undeserved forgiveness and is teaching me to forgive others now when I am "wronged". I can't say that it is easy, or that I have gotten to the point where it is not 100%.....but what freedom it is to not be consumed with bitterness and hatred anymore.

We serve such an amazing God, don't we? YAY!

I hope you have a great weekend....

Peace~
*~Michelle~*

[One Wink]

"Hope" is such a big word to cram into four little letters, isn't it? And it's so necessary and vital to our existence. What is that saying, "Hope springs eternal?" How true that is.