You took my place, You showed me grace, At the cross where you died for me.
His Glory Appears lyric by Hillsong


Sinking deep into this Holy week and I'm trying to wrap my brain around this Gift.

The gift that God prepared and sent to us as a babe in a manger. To watch over him as he grew into the man he was destined to be. Savior. Messiah. Redeemer.

As I watch my son grow and see him becoming his own person. I see his heart and how soft it is (I pray it stays this soft forever). When we've watched movies together and he's easily drawn in the emotions of the characters. We were all blubbering passing around the tissues at My Dog Skip.

When I think about my son, I'm filled with so much love and adoraton for him and I don't want to see him fail. When his heart is broken, mine breaks too.

I believe this has to be how God feels about us. He looks upon us with so much love and adoration, He doesn't want to see us fall or fail. Yet, he knows that we aren't perfect and extends SO MUCH GRACE! 

He loves us when we stray or make a not so wise choice. Every breath we breathe... Is always a second chance.

He sent his son. Jesus. To go in our place.

Jesus took our place friends! And he really didn't have to.

So unselfish he was.

But I can be furthest from that. 

I see myself standing in the kitchen cleaning up the supper dishes (after the hubs so graciously prepares and cooks a wonderful meal) and getting lunches packed for the next day. I'm sighing and mumbling under my breath. Something about never getting a chance to sit down. Bubbling under the surface as I watch my guys playing video games or wrestling in the other room. The inner three year old comes out and stamps her foot. "NO FAIR! How come they get to play while I have to clean up and pack lunches!" my lower lip pops out and my hands find their way to my hips.

I should be doing this with love right? Being a selfless mama and wife. Taking care of my guys (without grumbling). Running outside with my son and jumping on a bike for a ride around the neighborhood. Who cares that my kitchen is a wreck and well... The rest of the house could use some cleaning up too. (Hello, Merry Maids?)

My life is not Pinterest perfect and guess what? I.... I am flawed.

I hope you all take comfort in knowing that. I"m letting you see a side of my life that I don't share as status updates. The pictures you might see are all of the good times, Happy moments, Good hair days.

What you aren't seeing are the real moments. When I'm twirling about the kitchen like the Tasmanian she devil trying to pack lunches (because I was too tired the night before), let the dog out, make breakfast, unload/load a dishwasher when we are all running late. The moments when my son is struggling to stay focused on his homework and I'm quickly losing patience. The times when I'm lacking in my own ability to extend grace to my loved ones and I say something harsh without thinking.

I have these moments and then some.

I am not perfect. I am not fake. Actually, I'm pretty real.

He knows.

He searches our hearts, the deepest crevices. Nothing can be hidden from Him. Every eye roll, every comment muttered under breath, every critical observation...

Despite all of this, he still loves us! 

This week I've been really thinking about Jesus. How he came into this world and grew to be a wise teacher and the miracles He preformed. 

The last few days of his life. He knew what his purpose was, even though he begged God to take the cup from him ("My Father, if it is possible, take this cup of suffering from me! Yet not what I want, but what you want" Matthew 26:39)

He saw people who claimed to know him and love him, turn on him shouting and jeering "Crucify him!"

And he still looked upon them with love "Forgive them Father! They don't know what they are doing." Luke 23:34

Sometimes in those moments when I need the most grace, the most forgiveness, I see Jesus, I see the cup that he accepted. Wondering if he gets tired of me putting him back on the cross each time I fall short and mess up.

So much grace he has offered to us. All we have to do is accept his forgiveness and that wonderful mercy that is new every morning.

It's time to start seeing Jesus not for who he is but for what He has done for each one of us. 

That moment in time as he hung there on the cross between the two criminals? That was all for you.

One day we will see him again. All of his glory and goodness! How awesome!

Halelujah!

Amen.

Have a blessed Easter my friends!



Linking up with Bonnie Gray,  The Faith Barista!


photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/19779889@N00/427067502/">arbyreed</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/">cc</a>http://faithbarista.com/category/whitespace-linkup/


6 Comments

  1. It really is so amazing, isn't it - this love that He has for us! You captured it well in this post - how He loves us no matter what, on our good days, in our weaknesses. It never changes, and we have a lifetime (and an eternity!) of soaking up this love. Have a wonderful, meaningful Easter! (Linking up after you at Bonnie's new Whitespace Thursday.)

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    1. Thank you Cherry! I love it "soaking up this love" Yes! :)

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  2. Thank you, Krista. Jesus offers us so much grace day in and day out.
    I love the song by Casting Crowns that goes:
    "Not because of who I am
    But because of what You've done.
    Not because of what I've done
    But because of who You are."
    Have a joy-filled Easter!

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    1. Me too Trudy!
      "I am a flower quickly fading, here today and gone tomorrow. A wave tossed in the ocean. A vapor in the wind...... And you've told me who I am. I am yours!" Love it!!!
      I pray your Easter is Joy-filled also! :)

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  3. Beautiful post....always appreciate when we keep it real...we are all flawed, and yes He still loves us ! Praise God

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    1. Aw, thank you Renee!
      He is SO GOOD, All the time!!! :)

      Have a blessed Easter!

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