Easter '08
it seems that God has a way of making easter a special day for me. the past few years have all been good and sunday was no exception. this easter i was especially busy. we had just gotten back into birmingham from the florida keys saturday night a little after 10:30pm and i was frantically trying to unpack from that trip, repack for heading back down to auburn soon after church sunday, and get pictures downloaded from the trip on our home computer among other things. i didnt get a ton of sleep saturday night and then headed to our early service sunday morning (starts at 8:45am) to take pictures (the church's communications director asked me to help her by taking pictures of the day). i helped there, went to sunday school and then i ran sound and took a few pictures in our contemporary service. the rest of the day included heading back to auburn and helping with wesley’s easter service (i helped set up, run sound, and played a little trumpet). it all went well, but thats not the cool part about the day.
despite all the craziness in my life, God still finds ways to touch me wherever i am. as i was rushing out the door sunday morning to try and make it to church not too late, i arbitrarily grabbed my shane & shane cd 'pages.' while driving, the second track was playing and at one point in the song an amazing sense of freedom, love, and grace overcame me. i almost had to pull my car over as i was struggling to see through tears of joy. in that moment the words of the song ('we love you, Jesus') just rang so true,
we love you Jesus
for so many reasons
for death and life and freedom…
what manner of love is this that You would say
'your sin is Mine, I'll take it to the grave'?
(then rising)
death oh death,
where is your sting today?
death is swallowed up in victory
i knew i was free-that He had risen and was there in the car with me wanting to give me abundant life (John 10:10). i knew that He had conquered sin, and death couldnt hold him down. i knew that in spite of all i had to do the rest of the day, there was no reason to worry about it or let it get me down, because He had overcome the world (John 16:33) and that was all that mattered. i felt Him inside me and paul's words resonated with me, that i have been crucified with Christ and i no longer live, but Christ lives in me (Galatians 2:20).
at a time when i had been in a bit of a spiritual darker spot, He shone again in my heart and eliminated that darkness. to Him be all the glory, honor, and praise forever
despite all the craziness in my life, God still finds ways to touch me wherever i am. as i was rushing out the door sunday morning to try and make it to church not too late, i arbitrarily grabbed my shane & shane cd 'pages.' while driving, the second track was playing and at one point in the song an amazing sense of freedom, love, and grace overcame me. i almost had to pull my car over as i was struggling to see through tears of joy. in that moment the words of the song ('we love you, Jesus') just rang so true,
we love you Jesus
for so many reasons
for death and life and freedom…
what manner of love is this that You would say
'your sin is Mine, I'll take it to the grave'?
(then rising)
death oh death,
where is your sting today?
death is swallowed up in victory
i knew i was free-that He had risen and was there in the car with me wanting to give me abundant life (John 10:10). i knew that He had conquered sin, and death couldnt hold him down. i knew that in spite of all i had to do the rest of the day, there was no reason to worry about it or let it get me down, because He had overcome the world (John 16:33) and that was all that mattered. i felt Him inside me and paul's words resonated with me, that i have been crucified with Christ and i no longer live, but Christ lives in me (Galatians 2:20).
at a time when i had been in a bit of a spiritual darker spot, He shone again in my heart and eliminated that darkness. to Him be all the glory, honor, and praise forever