Happy Easter and Resurrection Sunday! My heart has overflowed with love, thanksgiving, adornment, and awe this week. Thinking about the true meaning of Easter and why we celebrate is overwhelming at times. To think that Jesus voluntarily died on the cross for our sins and then overcame death by rising up to heaven to be with his father. That is something that is very difficult for my human mind to truly wrap itself around. Jesus who was fully man and fully God chose to offer himself as a sacrifice for my sins so I could be acceptable to God and live with Him in eternity. Really? Jesus, I haven't even met you, are you sure? I ask these questions in my humanness and I hear the small but sure whisper in my heart........ "YES!" So I must have to do something to earn this, to make myself somewhat worthy of this, to repay him. Now here is the kicker, all I have to do is believe in Jesus and follow him. Simple..... yes. Easy...... not always. Worth it? TOTALLY!
In order to follow Jesus I have to get to know him. I do this in many ways. Through prayer, reading the Bible, worshiping, spending time and sharing with others, serving, recovering from unhealthiness, healing pain, and surrendering to and obeying him. The more I open my heart to him, the more he changes me and transforms my life in amazing ways.
I have been spending a lot of time this week reflecting on where I was a year ago and thanking God for the incredible ways He has worked in my life. I am speechless when I think about where I am now compared to where I have been in the past. Only God. I'm so thankful that I am not looking to other people and things to do what only He can do! My heart has been captured by Jesus, he is my first love!
Today while worshiping at church and thinking about all this, God gave me the best image to represent this change that has happened in my heart. He first gave me the image of a heart of stone being transformed into a living, beating heart. Then I saw the Grinch at the end of the movie when his heart grew three sizes when he discovered the true meaning of Christmas. That is a great depiction of how God has worked in my heart....... he took my heart of stone, replaced it with a living one, and He grows it all the time. Just when I think it will burst from love and gratitude, He increases its capacity to receive and give these gifts and I am amazed every time! God has turned me from a Grinch into a follower of Jesus, my heart and life are forever changed.
No comments:
Post a Comment