The Nails

Good Friday is so good because we were all given new life if we choose to accept it. It is good because we saw what our mistakes and rebellions really look like on a rough hewn cross with nails and thorny crown, after 40 lashings with a cat of nine tails. It is good because it signified a new beginning for believers, although it seemed like the end of the world to those who first believed.

I have been thinking again about Jesus, my creator God. (John. 1:1-18) I have been thinking that it would be interesting to write from some unique perspective of Jesus' death that Good Friday so long ago. The only thing that keeps coming back to mind are the nails.

From what I have read, it seems the nails used on Jesus body were made of iron. Iron is an element that is found on earth and on Red Giants (stars). It is forged by fire and other chemical reactions that I don't quite know all about.

I am considering the nails because they were a part of God's creation. Jesus knew exactly what they were made of, how they were made (and changed by man) because He made their elements. He knew from a human standpoint what they would do to his hands and feet, but he also knew from a part of the Godhead's view what they were capable of.

If I were the nails, I think I would have quivered and hesitated-maybe even melting before I pierced my creator's precious skin. Imagine the soldiers saying, "What's wrong with this *^%$%#@ nail!?" Iron can be life-giving or poisonous when distributed in animal life. The nails could have been a poisonous dose into Jesus (the creator's veins) or a life-giving one.

Just as Jesus chose not to save himself from this death on the cross, he also seemingly forbid his creation from doing so. I mean think of the cross made of wood, the thorns, the leather (on the cat of nine tails) and the metals used in that whip and in those nails. All of creation could have cried out against this outrage against their creator, but Jesus chose to endure the cross and experience the agony of separation from His Father being fully God and fully man.

And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:8)

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2)

This is a Good Friday, but Sunday is even better! Thank you Lord for conquering death-a choice you made to love us so much. Without the cross we have no forgiveness, without the cross we wouldn't have everlasting life. Friday is good.

Please read more about our Savior here: http://becomingmethruhim.blogspot.com/

Our Tracks Are Covered

I'm not sure if this is actually my mom's memory of me or mine. You know how those go. After you have heard the story about yourself so many times-it becomes your memory.

My mom decided to make bunny paw prints for me when I woke up one Easter morning. She thought it would be neat to use baby powder and (some sort of template?) through the house to lead me to my Easter basket.

Only thing was...I was 2, saw the "mess," so began to clean it up! I had no idea those were paw prints! She tried to get me to follow them, but I just kept trying to wipe them away!

I honestly don't remember if I tried to clean the tracks up because I was afraid or I was trying to be helpful to my mom-I lean towards the latter. But, it made me think about how often I try to clean things up in my life either because of my own insecurities or "helpfulness."

It's much easier for me to see the splinter in someone else's eye when I am focused on them. Especially since I learned to look over the plank in my own eye! (Aha! My dirty paw prints made visible!) Sometimes I clean them up enough because I am afraid of what my God thinks about them. Sometimes I clean them up to try to actually help others. Both of my efforts at cleaning fail until I come to the one who made me and died for me-WOW. What a concept!

The book of John, chapter 1, says this about Jesus. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men...He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (Verses 1-4, 10-14)

I have been reading Genesis the last few days, and I am again awed that this Jesus created all these things on earth for us. This Jesus whose birth we celebrate at Christmas is the same one whose death we celebrate at Easter. If he did not die for me, I would not be clean. Those pesky paw prints would be all over me and I could not approach God.

BUT, thanks be to God for Jesus' death on the cross. He was covered in his own blood, sweat and dirt from carrying his cross to Golgotha. He allowed himself to be killed like a criminal and with criminals to give many life. (See Romans 5:18-19) http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%205:18-19;&version=31;

Thankfully, that was not the end. After three days, all Hell literally broke loose, and Jesus was set free! The great good news is that he rose from the grave. He's alive today! HE has RISEN!

Maybe you are trying to clean up a mess that's out of control due to your own fears or even desires to help-Ask God to cleanse you, then you can better help others. Only Jesus' blood can clean and purify us so that we can be saved and made whole as we learn to follow in his footsteps. (Then, our tracks are covered!)


Check out my friend's site for more Easter Blogs to prepare your heart:) http://becomingmethruhim.blogspot.com/