Have you ever noticed that when you watch a movie for the second or third time, you might pick up on small details that you missed the first time?
This year, with Easter, there were some new things that I noticed:
• Those who are my biggest fans today can well pretend they didn’t know me when tomorrow comes. Those who pretend not to know me today may become my most faithful helpers tomorrow. May I never write people off too early. He never does that with me.
• When Jesus felt too drained to pray, He was humble enough to ask His friends to pray with Him. I don't need to shy away from my own imperfection.
• The hero worship of people is fleeting. My only true comfort should be in the One who knows every dark detail of my life and thoughts and was always willing to give His life for me. Everything else will perish.
• When accusations were hurled at Him, He could have held up each of the speakers' deepest and darkest secrets to the world. But He didn't. He never plays dirty.
• I can do my best to help carry your cross, but there are certain tests that you will have to write by yourself.
• Visitors to Jerusalem would not know Jesus' backstory. Just because He was crucified with two criminals does not mean He was one too.
• If Jesus could pray for His enemies on the hardest day of His life, then so can I. This does not necessarily mean that their attitude towards me will change. But as long as I pray for them, it cannot harm my soul.
• On the most difficult day of His life, Jesus shares the message of hope with the one next to Him. His own hurt does not blind Him to the helplessness of others.
• Jesus' own struggle also does not let him forget those who are entrusted to him. My family was given to me for a reason.
• When it gets dark around me in broad daylight, I have to remember it has happened before. And it didn't catch Jesus off guard that day either.
• I have the choice every day whether I am going to take the hope of the cross for myself, or whether I am going to hang between heaven and earth without it. Jesus didn't hang on that cross forever. He was not dead forever either. Life in abundance is the result of a Hope that came away from the cross.
• If I can shout out, "I give up!", it is not a loser's cry, but the one sound that makes the heavens rejoice.
• It may seem like the valley of the shadow of death, but it may just be the shady spot where the Lord takes time to strengthen me for the next chapter. We will probably never know what happened in those three days in hell. However, the miracle of His resurrection surpasses all speculation and that is what I cling to. My next story is so much more important than what happened in the grave of my old life.
• When our risen Jesus is the message, it does not matter who the messenger is. It's not about me.
"Don't be upset, and don't let all these doubting questions take over.
Look at My hands; look at My feet – it is really Me.”
Luke 24:37 The Message
Your inspiration for the week: Because of Jesus