The Holy Week Beat Down

This week is Holy Week, the week before Easter. At Easter we celebrate Jesus' resurrection from death showing that He has the power over death, more importantly, the power over our death. Because He lives, we also will live.

During this Holy Week - well really all through the church season of Lent - but especially during Holy Week, I like to review the Passion history, what Jesus had to go through during the very last week of His humiliated human life.

This history shows the true weight of my sins that I love to commit.

This doesn't sound like fun to most people, including myself, if I only have a short-sighted view. Most people want to cover up their mistakes, they want everyone to accept them for "who they are", and whatever they want to be...even if those choices have significant negative spiritual consequences. I'm guilty of this. I craft excellent excuses for bad behavior - lashing out in anger, belittling someone else's idea, getting depressed when things don't go according to plan, and the list is really endless.

I get beat down during Holy Week. What I think are only minor scrapes and bruises by forgetting about God while I'm at work or by picking on someone instead of encouraging them - these turn out to be thorns stabbed into my face and jagged shards of metal tearing into my back. My seemingly innocent flaws put me on the outs with God, put me in the danger of hell. When I think I am secure, then I see rightly that I have faltered.

I am also reminded of wounds I carry around with me. The habitual wounds that I think I need in order to survive in this world. The gash across my face that comes from thinking I'm better than other people. I need self-confidence, right? The wide-open artery of anger that is causing me to bleed to death. I need to get stuff done, right?

I get beat down during Holy Week...or rather I see my wounds rightly.

There aren't just 7 deadly sins. Every sin is lethal. How much poison will I try to swallow without dying?

I see my ugly wounds during Holy Week...I am appalled...and I find healing.

I see my sins for what they really are: thorns stabbed into my face and jagged shards of metal tearing into my back...but not my back.

This self-inflicted-self-reflection on all I've done wrong and all I've failed to do well, then turns to everything Jesus has done right and every sin that He avoided. True acknowledgement of my guilt allows me to grab hold of the righteousness Jesus offers.

Until I realize that I am Chief of Sinners, worst of all people, I can't be fully healed. When I only give my arm for Jesus to perform surgery on, he can't fix the gash on my face. The love of Jesus leads us to trust Him with our whole body. The prayer of the publican was answered by God, because he knew his sin, he repented, he turned from his sin and relied on God for mercy. His prayer can be translated, "God have mercy on me, the sinner." There is no one else. I stand naked before a holy God. Just me, the sinner - and Him, whose world is His footstool.

Thankfully God is not only all-powerful, He is also all-merciful. He NEVER abandons those who rely on Him. There is nothing you have done that can't be forgiven - that God can't wait to forgive. Just as you step before God, expose your worst side, and plead, "God save me!" - you realize Jesus is already standing next to you. When God looks at you, he sees his perfect son. He wants to embrace you as His perfect child. All that Christ Jesus did on this earth, His experiences during Holy Week, were done for YOU!! His blood covers you and me. We are truly blood brothers and sisters, members of God's family. We rest under the grace of God. You do not need to fear the surgeon that removes the cancer of sin, he is your brother.

I love Holy Week, for when I am weak, then I am strong.

Without knowing the depth and despair of my sin, I can't fully experience the joy of the resurrection.

Happy Easter!

A Prayer for Marriage

I found this prayer in my Bible. I haven't been praying it as often as I intended.

Please pray with me:

God, you have a perfect plan for our families. You gave us marriage so we could share your love with one most dear. You protect our children and provide for the strength of our society, through your gift of marriage. Please restore broken marriages. Help them honor you above all else and seek your face.