I have always LOVED Christmas! Yes … I know it’s Easter and I LOVE Easter too! But the truth is I can’t separate the two. I Love to celebrate when He was born, when He died, and, when He conquered the grave (as pertains to me and this humble little life)! My friend Mary Beth once wrote, “I can’t look at the manger without seeing the cross!” I totally get that, how all history was interrupted at the birth of “God with us.” Like I said I have always loved Christmas, and now I love Easter. But it has not always been that way.
When I was growing up we were “Sunday Christians.” I would dread Easter morning when we would have to dress up, go to church, and hear the same ol’ Easter story about how Jesus died for us (in my cute ruffled socks and paten leather shoes). I would listen to the preacher teach how I should accept Jesus if I didn’t want to go to hell. Seriously when you are offered heaven or hell, it’s kind of a no brainer, Umm heaven please. It wasn’t until after I graduated high school I had a true salvation experience in which I surrendered my heart and life to the lordship of Jesus that I understood what really happened at the cross. This time instead of choosing heaven or hell, it was about choosing Jesus. All my other salvation experiences were always motivated by the fear of hell. I would say the prayer … again … hoping it would erase every bad thing I had done between then and the last time I had said the prayer, yet not really willing to make any lasting changes.
Well, this weekend is Easter and I’m back in a my reflective mode. I’ve bought all my children’s Easter baskets and my heart is full of wanting them to really get it … why we celebrate Easter. That in the beginning on the sixth day, God created humanity, He could have made some perfect being that was programmed to love without the ability to choose love. Instead He created us with choice and personality. Then sin came into the picture and daily it was like humanity’s heart grew further and further away from its creator. I often wonder if sometimes God didn’t fully understand us even though He created us. Humans die … God will never die. To put it plainly God and humans are different. Men have unsuccessfully tried to be God and failed, yet God successful became man. It’s crazy that all the pain we experience in our humanity he experienced to understand us, to ultimately redeem us from death (albeit for eternity but, I would venture to say even in our everyday life). My good friend and I were talking and she showed me that Jesus didn’t go around telling people with words “I love you” (He has never been quoted telling the disciples the phrase “I love you”) but, he showed love through His actions and obviously His greatest action of laying down His life for us. 
I now think of heaven as a bonus instead of an alternate to hell. I think about how it will feel to see Jesus face to face, and worship with the multitudes before God’s throne. Finally my heart is looking forward to it.
Right now, after 16 years of choosing Him daily, what I’ve come to understand is that because of what Jesus did, I’m made right with God. I’m hidden in Jesus, God doesn’t see me anymore (in all my imperfections) He just sees Jesus. His Holy Spirit gives me the strength to be the best me I can be. I know that I love to hear His voice everyday. At this point in the journey, I don’t think I could live without His voice. I KNOW who I was without Him and I am ever aware that without Jesus I would have nothing I have. First of all, life and friendship with God’s precious Holy Spirit with all the benefits of His divine instruction and guidance, grace, wisdom, mercy … seriously this could go on and on. Second my husband (whose love for me always rocks my world) and my four sons who are such gifts to our lives. I totally get this is an easy revelation for an ex-drug addict but He also died for the “good” people that haven’t struggled with outwardly bad actions. But, in our hearts we ALL have a sin nature we struggle with and freedom and salvation are equal to those who have sinned much and those who sin little. Death was an inevitable consequence to all levels of sin. I truly believe that repentance and the receiving of forgiveness have the same impact for both.
So, I love Easter because He died for me, even in my worst sin His actions have always said to me I LOVE YOU!
I’m not in my worst sin now, but sometimes I have a really bad day home schooling. I have become frustrated with my kids and I want to beat myself up for it. I have times when I get defensive with my husband and inside I feel like I fail who I want to be. In every bad day Easter represents HE LOVES ME!!! He talks to me and helps me become the person I want to be even when I fail and that’s HUGE! I’m okay with people knowing that I’m not perfect. It’s way too much pressure and well, He never asked me to be perfect. He just asked me to rest in Him, the only ONE who truly IS perfect. In that place of rest no matter which direction I look, it all looks like freedom. I’m grateful and in awe of His mercy. It’s at the foot of the cross I’ve fallen in love with Jesus and all that He is to me!  It has made me LOVE Easter and come to know what it truly means to celebrate the cross!
Lord,
We all have amazing stories of ALL you have done for us … all starting with the cross you bore. We are so grateful you were born into humanity and that you really know us … like really know us. You have felt all the feelings that we have felt to identify with us and yet You didn’t stop there, You lived this life out without sin so you could ransom us from ours. That kind of selfless love blows my mind, how could we not be totally humbled by it. Give us greater revelation this Easter of all that Your love has accomplished for us and what it wants to continue to accomplish in us. We gratefully thank you and revel in All you’ve done for us this Easter! We love you!
Amen!
With the Greatest Love!,
I love Easter!! I love the week leading up to it, I love the expectation I have that everyone will hear the love story of Jesus and be saved I love all of it! I am so thankful that you are my friend because in so many ways you show me love with your actions and your words. You represent something in me that also doesn't care if people see my struggles, but yet you have such grace to lay it all out there and then wait and watch the Lord move. I love that He saw fit for us to be friends and walk some of this out in tandem, thank you for your obedience to be relentless in your pursuit of people and the reality of Jesus. I love you friend~m
Yes, Lord!! It’s time to flip it! Time for our generation to embrace that the cross means laying down trying to just LOOK like Him & SOUND like Him & start being humble to reveal His great love means all that is good in us IS Him recieved by GRACE! His love is the only perfect thing in us! We are full of humaness & so thankful as we lay down more and more to receive more of Him-more freedom, more grace, more love! The devil thinks He can turn people off by making people think salvation is for those perfect enough or strong enough to look like a “church girl”, but it’s when we reveal that “Hey! This girl NEEDS Him!!” that others realize salvation is for them too!! Do my actions shout, “I love you! He loves you!” everyday?? I am asking my Jesus right now!!! Thanks Ris!!
Ahh Marissa, I have tried before to explain that to walk with Christ and choose Heaven, is completely different than fearing hell! There is a song that says "some see the light and some just feel the heat!" I'm so thankful we see the light. Your words explain so well what it's like to see the light. And if I may, this little piece here will be used to fully explain the difference better than my own words from here on! Thank you for sharing your revelation of the cross in your amazing annointed words.
I wish I could hug your sweet little self right now!!:) This was so good! Such a good reminder of what He truly did for us. The love that He showed us without using the actual words. What a great example to teach us, His children, how to love!! This is a great lesson for me and my kids to learn! I'm taking this love nugget today!!
I say more, more!!;) Great stuff my beautiful friend!
Girl!!! I know you get me Sach! Yes … more grace! More Freedom! I so love who you are in Christ … it just gets me excited! Thanks for the love!
Rena … I spent the first couple of years of being saved not really thinking about Heaven and then when I was living on a Missionary ship I saw a video of Jesse Duplantis and how he had a vision of Heaven and he explained it. I spent an hour crying, for the first time my heart longed to go there someday. I'm relieved to see the light;) I never want to be motivated by the heat agin! So love you! ~Ris
Maree,
Hugs right back atcha! Thanks for you words … they mean a lot:)
Loves ~Ris
I am so glad that the Lord saw fit to make us friends … it was arranged and designed by Him and it makes it sooo FUN!
Thanks for sharing,, I just love reading your writings,, You are an inspiring writing and I love how you openly share pieces of your ups, downs, struggles, and triumphs with us.. thanks..
Amber
"It’s crazy that all the pain we experience in our humanity he experienced to understand us, to ultimately redeem us from death…"
I love that. I'm so blessed to know that this amazing God who created us knows what we are feeling, because He sent His ONLY son to live like us. To feel the things we feel, so that He could relate to us. I love to know that I'm never alone in my feelings.
Love you.
" In every bad day Easter represents HE LOVES ME!!!"
How true, how true! Easter is a day we can celebrate every singe day because Christ's resurrection was the ultimate victory over death. I have LIFE and I have LOVE! Thanks for putting it into words….Ris style!
I love you so much!
Great post, Ris. The story of the cross and Jesus' love for us is always fresh. Love you.
What an inspiration you are! I love how God uses our everyday life to show us HIS love! Thanks for being real and willing to share your everyday life with us…. however, I am so glad HE created lace socks and patton leather shoes!
Marissa,
Thank you for always bringing it:)
I love Easter too! God's grace is always available to us, but for some reason focusing with more intensity on what He did on the cross makes it easier for me to really grasp His grace in my life. Thank you for sharing your heart and reminding us that it's really all about HIM and what HE did for us.
It's Good Friday, we are on our way to church and life is super busy, but I am glad to have taken a second to read this blog. I am preparing my heart for a night and weekend of reflection not for just what Jesus did for me 2000 years ago, but for THIS year. The price he paid on the cross is like a treasure box that has been opened to me. It is full of gifts already purchased for me waiting for me to grab hold of. It's a big box of 'I love you and I want you to have this", or "I thought of you when I purchased this"! For you my sweetest friend who feels most adored when thoughtful gifts are given, God is speaking your language. And the revelation that comes from the Holy Spirit, the ability to worship God with your words with such beautiful posts like this one is a gift He is so honored to see you use.
love you
Rebecca
Hola everyone, Happy Easter!
you are an inspiration girl! You write just like you would talk and I love it! Honest about your ups and downs- which we all can relate. But I can feel your love and compassion here for Jesus. Contagious! Sorry it took me so long to respond- family just left last week and I'm catching up! Love you, good post!
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I love Easter too! God’s grace is always available to us, but for some reason focusing with more intensity on what He did on the cross makes it easier for me to really grasp His grace in my life. Thank you for sharing your heart and reminding us that it’s really all about HIM and what HE did for us.