These are the times that I cherish. Sitting around a fire with my whole family. I hold these moments so precious to my heart because it is a rare occurrence. We have recently been united by the ever so wonderful visits from my brother Jeff and his girlfriend Kelsey. So there we sat, next to my other brother Corey and his fiance Melissa. Dad got the fire rolling as Mom came out with s'mores. What more could I ask for? Oh I know, a wonderful girl named Shannon sitting right next to me.
Laughter filled the air as we talked about life and love. Every person outside of our immediate family has said the same thing. When we are all together, they all comment on our movie-quoting habits. I will say a line from a movie but I'll stop before completing it and wait, and without hesitation one of my brothers, Mom, or Dad will finish it.
Others will literally laugh until they cry. Especially when we are around my Nanny, who is probably the most unpredictable woman on the earth. But we love her all the same.
And so we sat, reminiscing on our favorite childhood memories. We decided to watch our favorite movie when we were little, 3 Ninjas. And as we sat through the corny jokes and children acting, a deep sense of appreciation fell upon me. It was my parents' love for us. They would sit through the dumbest movies and shows time and time again, just because it made us happy.
But it wasn't always this easy. We definitely had our fair share of fights and struggles, particularly due to a house full of boys. I don't know how my mother did it. But in the end we are all better from it. I can't speak for them but I certainly wouldn't change a thing.
I write this because family is something that I had taken for granted up until a few weeks ago. I've learned to live in the moment, and appreciate the small things. For we are not promised a tomorrow. So it's my goal to make the best of each and every day, because each one has its own purpose.
14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. --James 4:14
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Monday, February 6, 2012
The Cross
While being criticized, a good friend was accused of being too Christian. He was then reminded of something his dad had told him; "Was Jesus too Christian?" This answer is easily overlooked because of its simplicity, but it also carries huge significance.
If the very person sent to show us what life should be like wasn't too Christian, then how in the world can we be? His name is the root for the word Christian! It is, however, possible to become over-zealous and lose sight of what we we are called to do. And it's easy to miss the true reason Jesus lived and died. It's not hard to overlook many things. That's what I will focus on.
Mark 10:45 says, "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as ransom for many." Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death . . ." Wages? Ransom? What? To understand this, we first must get a grasp of our sin. Sin can be defined as a transgression against divine law; so anything that goes against God's will for us. We have been separated from Christ because of this sin, we have all tried to do life on our own.
But the beauty of it all, is that we have the privilege of coming back. Coming back to the One who died for us. The wages of sin is death, someone has to die because of this disease we call sin. Someone had to take the blame. Someone had to die the death that we all deserved.
You see, Jesus was without sin. Which means he was perfect. He was the only one free of blame. The only one to live a blameless life. Jesus was sent specifically for me. He was sent specifically for you. He was sent to take upon our sins, and die the death that we deserve. Jesus died a terrible death upon the Cross of Calvary. And He did it for one reason, you and me.
He loved us so much that He was willing to be sacrificed so that we may live. And we rest assured because Jesus was raised from the dead three days later. He rose again to show us that He was exactly who He said He was. These are the things we have taken for granted making it easy for us not to think about them very often.
But what baffles me is how we have belittled the Cross. A while ago my family received a heart-swelling e-mail from my cousin, Mike Inman. The e-mail is titled The beauty and essence that is from the Cross of Jesus Christ, and these lines stuck out to me. He says, "My sins should break me, and make me realize my need for Jesus, but through indulging in the world I have drank, like water, the cheap joys that this world has to offer. To where the most costly joy, which is salvation, is numb and dulled down to being another cheap joy." This spoke to my heart so much that I put it on my bulletin board so I can see it every morning.
I'm in awe every time I think about how powerful the Lord is. I used to hear the good news of Jesus, and push it aside like it was just another story. But now, I weep. I've had the opportunity to be around numerous people hearing the Gospel for the first time, and I remember thinking that this was huge for them. They are hearing the greatest news in man's history. But at the end, I wasn't crying for them, I was crying for me. I couldn't help it.
Time again this news wrecks me. And I am ever so thankful that Jesus loved me so much to do all this just for me. There is a second part to Romans 6:23. It says, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Thanks Mike.
If the very person sent to show us what life should be like wasn't too Christian, then how in the world can we be? His name is the root for the word Christian! It is, however, possible to become over-zealous and lose sight of what we we are called to do. And it's easy to miss the true reason Jesus lived and died. It's not hard to overlook many things. That's what I will focus on.
Mark 10:45 says, "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as ransom for many." Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death . . ." Wages? Ransom? What? To understand this, we first must get a grasp of our sin. Sin can be defined as a transgression against divine law; so anything that goes against God's will for us. We have been separated from Christ because of this sin, we have all tried to do life on our own.
But the beauty of it all, is that we have the privilege of coming back. Coming back to the One who died for us. The wages of sin is death, someone has to die because of this disease we call sin. Someone had to take the blame. Someone had to die the death that we all deserved.
You see, Jesus was without sin. Which means he was perfect. He was the only one free of blame. The only one to live a blameless life. Jesus was sent specifically for me. He was sent specifically for you. He was sent to take upon our sins, and die the death that we deserve. Jesus died a terrible death upon the Cross of Calvary. And He did it for one reason, you and me.
He loved us so much that He was willing to be sacrificed so that we may live. And we rest assured because Jesus was raised from the dead three days later. He rose again to show us that He was exactly who He said He was. These are the things we have taken for granted making it easy for us not to think about them very often.
But what baffles me is how we have belittled the Cross. A while ago my family received a heart-swelling e-mail from my cousin, Mike Inman. The e-mail is titled The beauty and essence that is from the Cross of Jesus Christ, and these lines stuck out to me. He says, "My sins should break me, and make me realize my need for Jesus, but through indulging in the world I have drank, like water, the cheap joys that this world has to offer. To where the most costly joy, which is salvation, is numb and dulled down to being another cheap joy." This spoke to my heart so much that I put it on my bulletin board so I can see it every morning.
I'm in awe every time I think about how powerful the Lord is. I used to hear the good news of Jesus, and push it aside like it was just another story. But now, I weep. I've had the opportunity to be around numerous people hearing the Gospel for the first time, and I remember thinking that this was huge for them. They are hearing the greatest news in man's history. But at the end, I wasn't crying for them, I was crying for me. I couldn't help it.
Time again this news wrecks me. And I am ever so thankful that Jesus loved me so much to do all this just for me. There is a second part to Romans 6:23. It says, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Thanks Mike.
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