A Simple Girl's Take on This Week!

It was in the fall of 1999 that I gave my heart to Jesus. I was a young person, the last of my teen years. Having been raised in the church from birth I'd gone to the alter many times.  But those prayers never lasted. However, a desire to live a life like I had watched lived out in other believers was planted into my heart. You see Christianity when it is lived everyday is the most beautiful thing this side of Heaven.  And I found myself wanting it. At 19 I opened the door to my heart so Jesus could begin the process of beautifying my heart. Since that time I've learned a lot, one is the truth of this song.
The more I trust Him, the more I love Him
Nothing good for me He'll deny
The longer I know Him, the better I can show Him
I couldn't stop now if I tried

It gets sweeter as the days go by
It gets sweeter as the moments fly
His love is richer, deeper, fuller, sweeter
Sweeter, sweeter, sweeter as the days go by

Oh, the moment He saved my His good grace He gave me
He place His love down deep in my heart
There's great joy in knowing with Him I am going
And never more from Him to depart

It gets sweeter as the days go by
It gets sweeter as the moments fly
His love is richer, deeper, fuller, sweeter
Sweeter, sweeter, sweeter as the days go by

It gets sweeter as the days go by
It gets sweeter as the moments fly
His love is richer, deeper, fuller, sweeter
Sweeter, sweeter, sweeter as the days go by

Sweeter, sweeter, sweeter as the days go by

This week is Holy Week for the Christian. If it wasn't for this week in history we would still be offering animal sacrifices year after year. It was a week that was packed full of an enormous amount of emotion. One day Jesus rode in Jerusalem being herald Hosanna!! What a happy day. He went on to clean up the Temple of its debauchery. About mid week He ate the Last Supper with His disciples knowing all the while that one of them was an enemy. (Next time you are in a tense situation and feel all alone allow this scenario to penetrate your brain) I believe with all my heart that Friday was constantly on Jesus mind. Otherwise, he would have never felt the need for the quietness of the garden. No doubt the weight of the world was already on his shoulders as He sought for a place to pray. The intensity was such that he pleaded with his disciples to help him pray. But they proved to be of no help. The battle was His and His alone. The excitement and happiness of the past Sunday had long vanished as our Lord knelt on a grassy floor and bowed his head on a rock. The intensity of everything He went through in the garden we will never know or comprehend. "O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me..."

Most of us all know the story well. You could even tell it better than I'm writing it. We all know what took place on Friday. We all know that the very same people that cried Hosanna earlier in the week went on to shout "crucify him". Gone was the crowd that were beside themselves with excitement. Gone was the desire to place the kingly crown upon His head and clothe Him in royal garments. Gone was the desire to place Him upon the throne of David. Gone was the idea of Him being their Messiah. Gone!!

All we see now is an angry mob shouting absurdities. The kingly crown became a crown of thorns.  The royal garments were replaced with shame and nakedness. No throne awaited Him, instead an old, rugged cross. Their Messiah became a criminal who was beaten with a leather strap. A strap that contained 3 prongs on the end that gouged and shredded His flesh with every whip. There would not be a colt or great white horse for Him to ride upon traveling to Golgotha's Him. Rather the journey is traveled by a broken down man laden with the cross. No palm branches pave the way. The path is dusty and long. Flanked on all sides by cruelty and hate. We watch as He stumbles to the top, falling every now and then because the weight is too heavy. Blood from the thorns runs down over his face like sweat. The torn flesh on his back is no doubt being baked from the hot, desert sun. Upon reaching the top the heavy beam falls from his shoulder with a loud clatter and with extreme exhaustion the world's Messiah crawls onto it and lays Himself down. Roman soldiers pull His arms from their sockets as they lay them across each beam and pound spikes into His hands. It's not with gentle ease that they handle this man of Galilee. Haughty hatred is behind every blow of the hammer. Their sinful hearts are filled with glee as they pick the large cross up from the rough, rocky ground and slam it into a hole dug for the purpose of hanging criminals. 

It became the darkest day in the history of mankind as the King or Kings and Lord of Lords hung suspended between Heaven and Hell. The moment was so great that even His Father had to turn his face. Fear gripped the world at that moment as the sun went black and the earth shook with a force. From His lips came the inevitable words "It is finished". The battle for our souls was won with those final words. 

We also know that the story does not end there. We know that Sunday came!!

When we grasp what Christ did for us and when we have a personal encounter with Jesus Christ then will we see that God is Good All the Time. 

He is coming again friends! And when He does it won't be as a babe in a manger. He won't come riding on a lowly colt. He is going to come on a cloud, robed in white, heralded by the trumpet of an Angel.  He won't be coming to save lost man. He's coming to claim those who have been redeemed, His church. 

Have you been redeemed? You can be! Let this Holy week be the time.