Hey y'all! I hope y'all are having a very blessed day so far! Thank y'all for taking time out of your day to read these blogs. It really does mean a lot to me. Your kind words, messages, and emails really mean a lot to me. It seems as if every time I need encouragement, you guys know. When I'm feeling down or just need a little pick-me-up, someone will comment or email me and tell me "thank you for writing" or "keep doing these blogs" or "you encourage me" and I am honestly so grateful. Knowing I can help someone, helps me. With Easter right around the corner, I wanted to talk about a love SO great, it conquered the grave.
I'm reminded of our family vacation to California a couple of years ago. We were packed ready to head back home. With tear-filled eyes, we hugged our aunt and uncle and said our goodbyes. As we were leaving, my sister said, "I don't want to go." Ah... there it is: the price of love. We might feel pain and hurt from leaving loved ones, or being separated from loved ones, but Jesus felt that ULTIMATE pain when He felt the price of love on that old rugged cross.
A man, both human and God, fulfilled a prophecy given by Isaiah seven-hundred years earlier, when He "bare the sin of many..." (Isaiah 53:12). There are so many pointers within this chapter referring to Jesus being the suffering Servant. We see that he was "wounded for our transgressions" (53:5), which was when He was nailed to that rugged cross. He was pierced in his side by soldiers. He was given stripes for our healing (53:5).
You see, because of love, Jesus came to this Earth of a virgin. He was born on this Earth a baby. Because of love, He received what should have been OUR abuse by teachers of the law, the crowds, and the soldiers. Because of love, He suffered and died, a perfect sacrifice, standing in our place before our Heavenly Father. WE LIVE BECAUSE OF LOVE.
"We love him, because he first loved us." 1 John 4:19
