Being Confident Of This

Grace for the work-in-progress woman

A Light to the Darkness

by 1 Comment

I arrived in the darkness, just like every other winter Sunday night. The drive was so familiar – I’ve made the trip for many years of my life. There was no reason to expect anything new or different – none whatsoever.

I think that may be one of the things I appreciate most about God – that when He makes changes in our lives, old things – ones we’ve seen numerous times – can seem brand new!

I sat in the parking lot at the church waiting for my son to be done at youth group. The evening was completely dark except for a few lights inside the church.

Light drives out darkness – whether it’s a small candle flickering or a bright spotlight directing our focus. And we’re attracted to the light – we’re drawn to it in order to see through the darkness.

That night was not the first night I noticed the steeple light, but it was the first night I noticed the direction of the light.

How our lives can be a light to the world

The parking lot is on the opposite side of the church than the road. As I sat there, all I could see was the one light that shines in the steeple tower.

It reminded me of the house light that we put on when we’re waiting for a family member to come home.

Family knows where home is, and they know the light will be on waiting for them. They know how to get there and they don’t need anything other than the light to welcome them home. Wherever they go, they know that the porch light will be on, welcoming them.

Around the other side of the church, the side of the church that faces the road,
there is a bright spotlight that shines on the steeple.

There are many who travel through life, lost and unsure of where they are headed, or how to get there.

It is for those – the lost, the weary, the discouraged – that we need to give adequate directions. We need to be a light to the lost world.

And it’s for those that the church shines the spotlight on the steeple – pointing the world to the cross.

This Sunday, Easter, many of us will go to church as we usually do. We will gather with family and friends at our familiar place of worship. It’s our job to hear what God is saying to us, to take to heart what we are being taught.

Why?

Because there’s a whole world out there who needs to hear what we have to say. They need to know the way to come home. They need us to be the light that points them to the cross.

They need to know that Jesus came for our redemption, that He died, was buried and rose again on the third day. (Luke chapters 23 and 24)

That’s not the end of the story, though.

One day, He is coming back. That’s the hope of the story. That’s the reason for the light that shines onto the side of the steeple that faces the road. That’s the reason for us to share God’s Word, the story of Easter, with our friends and family.

One day the trumpet will sound for His coming
One day the skies with His glories will shine
Wonderful day, my Beloved One, bringing
My Savior, Jesus, is mine

Living, He loved me
Dying, He saved me
Buried, He carried my sins far away
Rising, He justified freely forever
One day He’s coming
Oh glorious day, oh glorious day
from Casting Crowns’ song “Glorious Day“

Happy Easter! May God bless you and your family as you celebrate the resurrection of our Savior!

Rebekah M. Hallberg

Rebekah has been completely overwhelmed by the grace and mercy of the Lord in her life. He has proven His faithfulness in every area of her life, especially in her marriage. She has come to understand the power of redemption and God’s work in her own marriage. Her goal is to be Sharing Redemption’s Stories – encouraging wives who are praying for redemption in their marriage.

Painted Red: The Significance of the Passover

by 29 Comments

Paint.

It covers whatever is beneath it, each brush stroke blotting out all that came before.

It covers nail holes and cracks in the walls, the scribbles of a toddler and the spills of a preschooler.  It covers poorly chosen colors and other such mistakes.  It even covers rust and mildew, evidences of time and neglect. Paint masks all imperfections.

Paint makes old things new again, clean again, perhaps even beautiful again.

Yet at that first Passover, the paint was hardly beautiful – fresh blood splashed red across door frames painted as a covering, a protection over what was to come.

The people of God believed, and so they painted, each household, the blood of an innocent lamb across their door frames.  They splashed ugly smears of musky red in faith that Yahweh would keep his promise to them.

Then they waited…

This is what it means to be painted red. All of the mistakes, ugliness, and scars that were ours before are blotted out by bold, beautiful strokes in the hand of a Master who loves us enough to give a one and only Son. Painted Red What the first Passover means for us today. Christianity, Easter, Passover, Passover Lamb, Jesus, Christian Women, Devotional, Bible

 

… as death passed over them, leaving their firstborns untouched, an act of mercy.

And again over a thousand years later, only days after the Passover celebration, a one and only Son painted a cross red with his own blood, spilled it willingly for a world full of undeserving sinners.

The bloody mess of his tortured, nail-driven flesh was gruesome, but the promise, the promise was a thing of beauty beyond comprehension.

Once again mankind would be passed over because of the blood of the Lamb.

Once again, salvation would be freely offered to those who chose to believe the promise.

This is what it means to be painted red. All of the mistakes, ugliness, and scars that were ours before are blotted out by bold, beautiful strokes in the hand of a Master who loves us enough to give a one and only Son. Painted Red What the first Passover means for us today

Now we who believe are painted righteous by faith, passed over, wiped clean.

All of the mistakes, ugliness, and scars that were ours before are blotted out by bold, beautiful strokes in the hand of a Master who loves us enough to give a one and only Son.

Romans 5:8-10

 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.

10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been

reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

Thus, the ugly red paint brings forth new life and along with it, joy and peace and beauty.

So those once black with sin

are now washed white as snow,

painted red

by the blood of the Lamb.

Jen 🙂

Do you understand the significance of the Passover? Jesus is our Passover Lamb!

I’m joining the brave and lovely Five Minute Friday writers again this week over at Lisa-Jo’s place.  She chooses a word prompt and we all write fast and furiously for five(ish) minutes, no planning, no editing, no over-thinking.  All are welcome, so come on over and join us!