Recently, I had the privilege to talk to a group of ladies about heritage.
Side Note:
My personality is such that I am more comfortable in the back seat, listening and observing…more often than not, being invisible in the crowd; but sometimes God nudges us forward in an effort to help our lights shine and be a reflection for Him.
The main points of that talk were:
• Heritage is something we all have…whether good, bad, or ugly.
• Whether we recognize our heritage or not, we can rest assured that our physical heritage—all of it—the good, the bad, and the ugly—brought us to this very moment in time.
• Our TRUE heritage is from God because we were created in His image, so basically, we do not need to be a mirror image of our family because He has created us each unique.
• We can embrace the good of our heritage, but don’t let any of it, whether good, bad, or ugly, weigh us down or hold us back from being who HE created us to be.
Having said that, I have been thinking a lot about my heritage and Easter.
When I think of Easter, it feels bright and sunny in my soul. I know not every Easter Sunday is bright and sunny outside necessarily, but the celebration is…or should be.
As a kid, I would get a new Easter outfit. Even as a teenager, I’m pretty sure it was Easter when I got those pretty pink pumps…oh…I loved those things! Sometimes, I was brave enough to wear a hat! I loved hats, but a hat would make one stand out just a tad more than ‘one’ might be comfortable at the time. One year in particular, I had a new hat and a new peach-colored dress…4th grade to be exact. I remember the exact time because I had the chicken pox and didn’t get to go to church that day. Although, I am positive I was disappointed, I did get dressed up and Mom took my pictures…although I don’t think I ended up wearing my Easter hat to church later…because that might make ‘one’ uncomfortable since the opportunity had passed.
Tradition and heritage carries forward. Sometimes, I am still excited to look for a new outfit, although I don’t make it a point every year to buy one. When I was a kid, Easter dinner took place at Grandma’s with good food and hunting eggs. Since becoming an adult, Easter dinner hasn’t looked the same every year, but attending church with the goal of celebrating the resurrection has remained. This year, I am kind of excited to be cooking Easter dinner at my house. There is just something about celebrating around a home cooked meal.
Possibly more and more each year, I realize the joy and excitement this season brings. Is it a coincidence that this holiday lands in the springtime? I have no doubt God’s perfect plan worked out the seasonal timing of it all. Trees are budding. Flowers are blooming. The earth is showing signs of new life. The frogs are singing. Even the turkeys are talking! [some days, a little too much! haha!] It is a beautiful and hopeful time of year! That, no doubt, adds to the excitement; but the true excitement stems from the knowledge of knowing Jesus Christ…But…it’s not just the knowledge…it’s the personal relationship and closeness with Him…it’s knowing my sins are covered by His blood that was shed on the cross at Calvary…it’s because He is the propitiation for my sins…my advocate.
“My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.”
1 John 2:1-2 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/1jn.2.1-2.ESV
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
1 John 1:9 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/1jn.1.9.ESV
{That verse is a life-changer!}
It’s the fact that He not only died on that cross a cruel death for me…because He loved me…because He wanted to redeem me…to rescue me…to have a relationship with me…to make a way that I could come boldly to the throne of the Father with my requests, cares, and concerns…
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”
John 3:16-17 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/jhn.3.16-17.KJV
“Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Hebrews 4:14-16 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/heb.4.14-16.ESV
…but also the fact that He rose again on the third day!!…the fact that He is alive and well…sitting at the right hand of the One who made it all possible…who created me…that I might be forgiven…that I might serve Him…and that I would ultimately spend eternity with Him…the one who created me…in His image…for His glory.
He created me—and you—to be a part of this story…this heritage.
“But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen….”
Luke 24:1, 3-6 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/luk.24.1-6.ESV
Friends…He has risen! It’s time to celebrate!
It’s the perfect time to take a fresh look…to make sure your sins are confessed and under the blood…to begin…or begin again…and celebrate…
Celebrate the risen King of Kings and Lord of Lords!
““Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”
Isaiah 43:18-19 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/isa.43.18-19.ESV
Simply Celebrate With Jackie 