Holy week

By Mary Spence

"But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.”
(Isaiah 53:5)

I have always struggled with Holy week. The emotional high of Palm Sunday celebrating Jesus' arrival in Jerusalem to the low of Good Friday and his crucifixion and death on the cross to the high again of Easter.  The joy of the reserection and realization the His death freed me. It's so many emotions in one week. 

My realization that by dying on that cross He opened the door for me to be in relationship with God changed my life.
Does anyone else feel a tremendous amount of freedom in that? God is not tallying up our good behavior, judging our performance, or even marking us down when we fail. He loves us absolutely and, ultimately, with no strings attached. When I mess up, which for me, was as recently as yesterday, He forgives me, He lavishes His love on me, and I am renewed!

Grace is a term that we throw out a lot as Christ followers. I could never really grasp the concept before I began to understand what Jesus did for us by dying on the cross. Grace is God's undeserved favor.
Corinthians 12:9 says, “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” (NIV) 
Grace is Christ's free gift to us. It means that we are loved, valued and it’s a power that increases when we are weak.

Our own flesh is in a daily battle with the holy spirit within us. 
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God"
Ephesians 2:8 NIV 
We are living in a world full of sin and chaos. Our human nature itself is sinful. But God's grace saves us from ourselves. 

There are so many examples of Jesus embracing sinners in the bible...The woman at the well.... Jesus picked her because she had sinned and offered her a new life.
The woman caught in adultery.... Jesus says to her accusers "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.."
Saul. A man who killed Christians. Who had an experience with God and became Paul, a student of Jesus.
The prodigal son....He pursues us. He is always waiting for us. The needier, the thirstier we are the better. 

Grace is God's loving kindness. Grace is forgiveness extended to the sinners.The greatest example of grace is Christ's death on that cross. When Jesus paid our debt. So we could be forgiven of our sin and be In relationship with Him. 

That is grace.
So now as I walk through Holy week each year I am sober, sad and elated and free.
But I guess I should be emotional. 

Heavenly Father. 
Help us to view ourselves as loved and accepted just as we are. Let us know that our sin does not separate us from relationship with you. Our faith alone qualifies us to be your family, your loved ones. 
Thank you God that you meet each one of us right here. With your arms spread wide waiting to embrace us in your glorious love. 

God, we thank you for the gift of your son. We are so grateful that you so desired relationship with us that you gave your one and only son to make a way for forgiveness of our sins.