"We love because He first loved us."
1 John 4:19
I absolutely love this verse. It's a constant reminder of why we are here. Why we are capable of loving. And why Jesus chose to die for our sins. His love is beyond anything we could fathom or even try to imagine. Our minds are just too small to comprehend it.
I feel like my life has been pretty roller-coasterey lately. Keeping up with school work, friendships, scheduling for next semester, and thinking about my plans for the summer has really be contributing to my elevating stress level. It has definitely not been fun. I've been trying to keep my mind from getting ahead of itself. I'm starting to feel effected by the thought of leaving all the amazing people I've met this year for the summer so I don't want to be rushing into summer, but it's kinda getting harder. I don't want to waste the time I have here with them. I've been dealing with situations where I'm just like, "Where are you God?", "Why is this falling apart?", "I need you to take care of this."I've been really trying to take up my crosses because Jesus did that very thing for me. I want God's will, but I let my flesh win a lot of the time, which is probably why things are the way they are. But either way God has a plan for all of these things that seem to be bad right now. Patience and trust, you got this Jamie. I want take note on one amazing event though, Dinner for The Ladies 2012. The love in that place was just invading the hearts of all of us girls out there. To my future husband: You will be a gentleman like that, and that standard will not be lowered. I've realized just how good I deserve to be treated. We are all made to love and respect each other. It's how God wants His people to treat each other. If we lived like that everyday this world would a lot better to live in. So thank you brothers, you are all amazing men of God<3. All of this aside, this week and the weekend are some very important days. It's the crucifixion, death, and rising of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Those things are the very reasons for this post. I want to put all the crap I'm dealing with in life aside this week to spend more time with God, learning and understanding more about the love Jesus has for me through Him dying to save me. God loved us all so much, He wanted us so badly that He saw no other way to receive our love in return or to pay the debt of our sins against Him than to send HIS VERY OWN SON to pay our debts and die for us so that we could love Him and Live with Him forever. That's why 1 John 4:19 is so important. "WE LOVE BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US". He didn't have to love us. He didn't have to want to save us from eternity in Hell. He didn't have to make a way for the punishment to be paid for. HE'S THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE, He could do ANYTHING that he pleases. But He did it because he LOVES us more than we can even comprehend as love. His love is nothing like the earthly love we express. It is 20 folds bigger and then some. He is so loving, merciful, and compassionate. I can't imagine not believing in an amazing God that wants me. He knows everything about me, all the good and all the disgusting and shaming things, but he STILL wants to use me and give me the real life that He has always wanted for me. He says I am his beautiful daughter, a perfection creation, a masterpiece. I'm honored to be His daughter. Honestly, without Jesus in my life, I wouldn't feel a bit of worth or point to my life, and truly believe I would've ended my life a long time ago, I have no reason to be here besides living for Him. "Jesus is the ONLY Truth, the ONLY Way, and the ONLY Life"-John 14:6. I love love love love love this verse, it's everything I believe in a nutshell (which is why it is tattooed on my wrist).
I'm going to start taking bits and of pieces from the Gospels leading up to Jesus' death/resurrection because we all need to be reminded of what Jesus did for us. The first verse I want to talk about is when Jesus was praying to His father in a garden the night before he would be condemned. Matthew 26:39 says. "If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want Your will to be done, not mine." This shows just how human he was, but also how we should react to our trials and pain we experience in our lives. He was afraid and wasn't so sure about going through with it, but He wanted God's will, not His own. We should also want God's will in everything we do. Our lives will be of so much more worth walking with God every step of the way. I don't know when I'll learn that fact, and actually start living it out completely. Every time I make a decision all on my own and say, "Don't worry God, I got this, it won't end up bad." 100% of the time it ends up backfiring. Jesus took up His cross joyfully, knowing that the result of it is worth more than anything in this world. We should look at our crosses (sufferings) and taken them up joyfully, even when it isn't easy, knowing and trusting that everything God does is for good. Everything in His plan is good. Like Psalm 30:5 says, "Though my sorrow may last for the night, joy comes with the morning." We need to persevere and completely lean on God in this life. And remember as Jesus said in John 18:36, "My kingdom is not of this world."That means we are not meant for this world, we are different, made for something so much greater and bigger. So when you feel out of place and you're struggling to be a Christian in this society remember it's cause we aren't made for this world. But what we do in this world matters so much. Telling everyone about Jesus' saving love is what God wants for His followers and one day we will reunite with Him in Heaven and live joyfully and eternally in His amazing presence. I feel like I'm getting so off track here. But it is just sooo cool to think about. All the sufferings, pain, imperfections that bring me down will no longer be there. It's just such an amazing and peaceful feeling.
I'd also like to point out that all during Jesus' trial to be condemned and while being mock by all the soldiers, He said nothing in return. He didn't snap back at them with a come back like most of us would probably do if someone offends us. He stayed faithful to His Father. Always remembering His purpose. Not too long before he died Jesus cried out with little strength He had left and said, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?"(Matthew 27:46) Until now I always thought that was Jesus weakened by His human flesh thinking that God wasn't being faithful in His plan, but my study bible has shown me a whole new side and I think it's very important to put on here. This excerpt is from The Life Application Study Bible (NIV): "Jesus was not questioning God; he was quoting the first line of Psalm 22--a deep expression of the anguish he felt when he took on the sins of the world, which caused him to be separated by His father (that's what sin does to us, it separates us from God- Hell is eternal separation from God and the bible says, "He descended (downward) into Hell and on the Third Day rose again and ascended (upward) into Heaven) This is what Jesus dreaded as he prayed to God in the garden to take His cup away. The physical agony was horrible, but even worse was the period of spiritual separation from God. Jesus suffered this double death so that we could never experience eternal separation from God." I think that is so powerful. I encourage you all to just take time this week to soak that in and meditate on God's word and understand what Jesus took on for the sake of us. Matthew 28:5-7 is when Jesus has risen from the dead and an angel appears to the women who came to visit Jesus' tomb. "The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” Jesus has fulfilled EVERYTHING THE BIBLE HAS TAUGHT US THAT HE WOULD DO!! SOOO AMAZINGG<3 <3 May I remind you that Jesus was a human being that rose from the dead (besides the fact that He is Lord), and that is definitely something that doesn't happen everyday, nbd. This last part is the last thing Jesus said to His disciples, which means it's probably SOOO VERY important. Matthew 28:18-20 "Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” I'm just in love with the ending- "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."This is the Great Commission for all of us, all who believe in Him, MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS. The Christian life was not promised to be easy, but in everything we do, He is there with us. His Holy Spirit gives us the words and wisdom to bring people to Jesus.This week I want to spend time thinking of Jesus as He carried His cross up to His death, taking on the world's sins, and rising in 3 days, fulfilling prophesy and sealing the deal between God and all people. Everything he went through, just because of His love for us--what else is there to do, but love and worship someone who loves you beyond measure and saved you from yourself?!?The battle is won.
"It is Finished."
John 19:30
