I know that we all associate Easter with choccies, bunnies and well... some church going... but then more choccies and bunnies. Tradition in South Africa is that we make and share pickeld fish and hot cross buns and yes... eat lots of choccies and see bunnies in all the tv ads. Please see the delightful pic as reference :) ---------->
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| "Lady Gaga? Is that you?" |
Anyways, what Ive come here to say is that Easter is such a pivotal time in our lives because, yes we have the joy of choccies and bunnies, but Easter is the time that we celebrate when love came down to earth thousands of years ago and gave us salvation.
God loved us all so much that He took on human form to come and mingle with us locals :) He knew that if we were left to our own devices, there would be no way we would ever be able to have a relationship with Him, because He is pure and holy and we kinda just were not. So down came Jesus, birthed as a normal human being in very abnormal but amazing circumstances to make right for us on Earth. Jesus knew the cross He had to bear (pun intended). I mean, I dont know if I would willingly give up my life for any of ya'll :)What a guy..
Now that aside, history books all document this man, Jesus, to be on earth a coupla thousandsa annuals ago.. and He was said to be perfect, upright, just :) And this Jesus man, then took all our sins (in the past, future, present) on Himself and allowed them to murder Him in a very brutal way so that we can have eternal life (not like The Highlander... more like, in Heaven with the angels). They really beat Jesus something terrible and mocked Him... spit on Him and taunted Him. The whip that was used, called a flagrum, consisted of braided leather thongs with metal balls and pieces of sharp bone woven into or intertwined with the braids. The balls added weight to the whip, causing deep bruising and contusions as the victim was struck. This beating was so severe that at times victims would not survive it in order to go on to be crucified.
Those who were flogged
would often go into hypovolemic shock, a term that refers to low blood volume.
In other words, the person would have lost so much blood he would go into shock. There is evidence from Scripture that Jesus
experienced hypovolemic shock as a result of being flogged. This explains why, after Jesus died and a Roman soldier thrust
a spear through Jesus’ side (probably His right side, piercing both the lungs
and the heart), blood and water came from His side just as John recorded in his
Gospel. (John 19:34)
I think that all of that is pretty gruesome and really makes me think about my worth, if He endured all of that for me. But what is the most amazing part is that He actually rose from the dead. This supernatural fact is what makes Easter such a supernatural period and a special time for me. This is what its all about maaaan! He died and He now lives! My God lives. He answers prayers.
He is everywhere and in everything, because He is ALIVE.
"I am the resurrection and the life.
  He who believes in me,
though he may die,
he shall live."
- John 11:25
"I am the way, and the truth, and the life.
Noone comes to the Father
except
through me.
If you know me,
you will know my Father also."
- John 14:6-7
Jesus
had to die on the cross and shed His blood for us, so we could
be brought back into relationship with God. He
was the final sacrifice. Through Jesus blood being shed for us, our sins
have been forgiven (washed away). Then, through His resurrection
(coming back to life) we, too, can be risen to new life in Him. When we
come to the Lord, He makes us new creations. We have
Jesus resurrected life in us.
Thank You Jesus :)
I owe you my life...
xxxL
Sources:
http://www.gotquestions.org/blood-water-Jesus.html
http://www.heavensinspirations.com/what-easter-means.html
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