We are here, the time we mark Jesus' work for all of humanity, when the power went out for the stuff of our past to be left in the grave and a new life to begin. It is the time to meditate, to seek God, to evaluate where we are at, letting go of the things that belong in the grave, becoming free to experience a full life.
Consider.
Bound with ropes, beaten, blood dripping from his wounds, Jesus faced the high priest Caiphas, who asked, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”
If, he kept silent, they would have had to release him, but Jesus said, “I am.“ The power of Jesus to go forward, to go to the cross and to the grave for the sake of humanity is undeniable.
Nearby, Peter stood around the fire, trying to get warm. He was asked three times, Are you one of the followers Jesus? Each time he denied any association, which had been unimaginable hours before.
The thing is . . . when we live our life half-heartedly, when we do not fully engage with the forgiveness of Christ, when we can't forgive God for not preventing something happening in our life, when we refuse to forgive someone, when we do not forgive ourselves for what we could never imagined we would do. . . we are denying the power that puts the dark stuff of life into the grave. It's time to let go of whatever has its grip on us, to let it go to the grave, to let its power over us to be over, to let the power of Christ make us new.
Let it go.
Receive what Christ has done.
Be free to live fully in the power of Christ.
Learning to Kickstart the day letting it go,
Kerrie
(written by Kerrie Carlisle Palmer © 2011 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED)
Consider.
Bound with ropes, beaten, blood dripping from his wounds, Jesus faced the high priest Caiphas, who asked, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?”
If, he kept silent, they would have had to release him, but Jesus said, “I am.“ The power of Jesus to go forward, to go to the cross and to the grave for the sake of humanity is undeniable.
Nearby, Peter stood around the fire, trying to get warm. He was asked three times, Are you one of the followers Jesus? Each time he denied any association, which had been unimaginable hours before.
Peter swore, “A curse on me if I’m lying—I don’t know this man you’re talking about!” And immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Suddenly, Jesus’ words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny three times that you even know me.” And he broke down and wept (Mark 1:71-72, NLT).
Their eyes met in that moment. Jesus who had faced accusers for something he did not do, looked at Peter with understanding and forgiveness.
Peter looked at Jesus, seeing nothing but his own personal shame, running away from what he had done, denying his forgiveness, unable to let go of what he did.(Read it fully in Mark 14:60-72; Luke 22:61)
The thing is . . . when we live our life half-heartedly, when we do not fully engage with the forgiveness of Christ, when we can't forgive God for not preventing something happening in our life, when we refuse to forgive someone, when we do not forgive ourselves for what we could never imagined we would do. . . we are denying the power that puts the dark stuff of life into the grave. It's time to let go of whatever has its grip on us, to let it go to the grave, to let its power over us to be over, to let the power of Christ make us new.
Let it go.
Receive what Christ has done.
Be free to live fully in the power of Christ.
Learning to Kickstart the day letting it go,
Kerrie
(written by Kerrie Carlisle Palmer © 2011 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED)