Good Friday

Yesterday was Good Friday, the day we recognize in memory of Jesus' crucifixion. TheMILL's Good Friday service is always really good, but this year's really got me thinking.

We celebrate Easter in honor of Jesus' victory over death. The remarkable day in history when Jesus conquered the grave and allowed us to claim freedom from death in His name. And because we know how the story ends, the climax--Good Friday--often gets overlooked in anticipation of celebrating the most incredible event in history. "We rush past the cross on the way to an empty tomb." -Aaron Stern

Jesus willingly suffered hours of violent torture for us. For me. For you. He had the power to call the whole thing off, but He didn't. Every single mistake I've ever made was paid for that night, and because of His sacrifice I am able to live freely and without condemnation. Before Jesus died, He gave clear instructions for how we are called to live.

"And He was saying to them all, 'If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.'" -Luke 9:23-24

Jesus instructs us to go to the cross. To deny ourselves, our wishes, dreams, and desires in exchange for His. And He didn't merely give instructions; He led the way. He sacrificed His own comfort, His body, His reputation, His life and submit to the will of the Father. Jesus' very last words before He died were, "Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit," (Luke 23:46).

This is what left my mind buzzing. Am I willing to do the same? Can I honestly say, "Father, into Your hands I commit my spirit"? Not just when I need Him, not just when it's easy; but every day--every waking moment of my life? I've had Luke 9:23-24 memorized for years, but I think I'm only just now beginning to realize what that really means. With all the changes I've experienced in my life lately, I'm understanding how hard it really is to deny myself.

It occurred to me last night that my absolute worst fear right now is not getting what I want. Pretty selfish, right? All this time I've been so afraid of things not ending up how I thought they would and how I wanted them to. I've been upset that everything I thought I had planned for myself has fallen apart...but God's changing my perspective. What a perfect opportunity to truly deny myself. To set aside all my plans, my dreams, my hopes, and my desires in order to make room for the ones He has for me. Rather than focusing on the fact that so much in my life is changing right now, God's teaching me how to see this new season as an opportunity. I'm learning lesson after lesson about trust, faith, and life in general. After all that's happened in the past few months, my life is beginning to look a lot like a blank canvas, and I'm handing Him the brush. God is humbling me and showing me what it looks like to truly deny myself, take up my cross, and follow Him. As long as He's leading, I don't need to know where we're going, because I believe with all my heart that it's someplace beautiful.