A Week Of Gratefulness

Romans 4:25
He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.

As you think on this week of Jesus' passion. His trial, scourging and beatings.....His trip through the streets of Jerusalem, cross upon His back. Calvary and the nails driven into His flesh. Hanging there between heaven and hell, neither wanting anything to do with Him. Pain and dehydration. Suffocation and loss of blood. Yet even as we think on these things, we need for God to give us vision to see beyond this event. We need to fully experience and come to an understanding that a greater work took place on that hill. Oh yes, I understand that Jesus died for my sins. He didn't just die for my sins..He took my sin on himself. Every vile thing I have done. Every terrible thought that came to my mind. Every judgemental thought that floated through my brain. Now magnify our sins and add them to every sin that had been done and will be done. Jesus himself took this unto his own body, and God, being just, punished Jesus for everyone of them. God poured out his full wrath and fury that sin demanded payment for and every bit of it was poured out upon his only Son. But that was only half the story.

Now that sin has been paid for, what's next?
The Romans 4 verse says,"Jesus was raised to life for our justification."
In others words, the ledger has been balanced.
We are no longer a liability, we are now an asset.
The debt has been paid and now God no longer holds us responsible. We have been justified. It is Just-as-if-I'd never sinned. When God looks at me, he no longer sees a sinner doomed to and eternal destiny of separation from his presence. He sees the precious blood of his Son, Jesus, covering me. This gives me to right and privilege of having relationship with God.

It is the blood of Jesus that allows the words of Hebrews 4:16 to be more than words, but reality.
"Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."
As sons and daughters of the most High, we now have the right and honor to come to our heavenly Father with confidence. We are not 2nd class citizens of the Kingdom of God. We are his children and we can come and receive whatever it is we need to go through our time of need. How cool is that?
So this week, I am grateful.
I am rejoicing.
I am fully aware of my position of Christ.
I am at peace.

God on you.....
mb