MAKE ROOM (Personal Reflection)

I find space for what I treasure

I make time for what I want

I choose my priorities and

Jesus, You're my number one

I will make room for You

I will prepare for two

So You don't feel that You can't live here

Please live in me

My will, My way 

My ego, My plans

My schedule, My itinerary 

I will make room for You

My habits, My attitude

Whatever it is that's not like You

Whatever it is, You can move it over

I will make room

Whatever it is that's in Your way 

Whatever it is if it takes Your space 

Whatever it is I don't want it there 

I will make room

I wanna seek You first

Get the odd things out of the way

I wanna seek You first

Move it all out of the way 

Whatever it is, Lord, I just want You 

I will make room

Whatever it is, You can move it all 

Please just move it all 

Help me move it all 

Jesus, I just want You to know 

That I will make room

I find space for what I treasure

I make time for what I want

I choose my priorities and

Jesus, you're my number one

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Sometimes a song meets you right where you're at in your spiritual journey. I had never heard of "Make Room" by Jonathan McReynolds before, but this song has been echoing in my head for days. It is a simple message focused on the importance of priority in our lives, and none more critical than our personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I confess even though I write personal reflections, I struggle reading my Bible daily and prioritizing prayer. If anything, writing devotions holds me accountable to ensure I spend time in God's Word and soak upon the wisdom of His absolute truth for my life. Prioritizing quiet time with the Lord requires dedication and intentional effort to maintain consistency over an extended period of time so the habit becomes effortless, but I often fall short of finding my daily rhythm of praying to God and reading His Word amidst the demands of my schedule and busyness of life in general. I know I always have time to prioritize God first, but more often than not, I prioritize other people, duties, responsibilities, and personal desires before Him. I believe many of us within the church can relate to the struggle. Life tends to get increasingly busy, idols begin to surface, and before we realize, we have abandoned our first love for a mirage that will never quench our thirst for peace, joy and contentment. Jesus said, "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you" (Matthew 6:33). When we allow our minds to be consumed with fear or anxiety, we lose focus of not only what is important, but WHO is most important. Therefore, when the Lord is prioritized first and foremost in our lives, the cares of this world become meaningless and void of value. It does not mean we are required to take a vow of poverty in order to be like Jesus, but we cannot enter the kingdom of heaven with hands clenched to the cares of this world. "And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever" (1 John 2:17). God simply delights when our hearts give freely and seek to bless others unconditionally. Therefore, we are wise to train our minds to be selfless vs. selfish, and guard our hearts from fruitless idolatry which supplants our devotion to the Lord. "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:19–21). 

"I find space for what I treasure. I make time for what I want. I choose my priorities and Jesus, You're my number one. I will make room for You. I will prepare for two so You don't feel that You can't live here. Please live in me." Personally speaking, far too often I have made excuses for my lackadaisical efforts toward implementing spiritual disciplines in my life, and the opening verses of this song point directly to the reason why. The sad truth is when I reflect upon my past, more often than not, I have deemed the pleasures of this world more important than God. That doesn't mean God is not important in my life, but more so that other things and/or people have taken higher precedence and priority than Him based on how I have spent and invested my time. "If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth" (Colossians 3:1–2). Therefore, when I admit, "I find space for what I treasure," and "I make time for what I want," I am extremely convicted because it magnifies how much time I've wasted living for myself rather than prioritizing God first. Without a doubt, I have ample time available to spend with the Lord each day. I simply prioritize idols before Him. That is a sobering truth to admit, but heart change begins with self-examination and self-recognition compared to God's holy standard of righteousness, and I do not want to live in denial any longer or think more highly of myself than I ought. Scripture teaches, "Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!" (2 Corinthians 13:5). Over time, I have realized I'm not alone in my struggle for spiritual clarity concerning the primary role God should play in my authoritative hierarchy and decision making. Therefore, my hope is that we all recognize the error of our ways, repent of our sins, expose of our idols, and choose to live for Christ first and foremost. The beauty of intimacy with our Savior is He gives us His full, undivided attention at all times. He waits patiently, listens intently, and comforts us through difficult seasons of life, longing only for us to turn from our wicked ways and return to the Father. There is simply no one more important than Jesus in our lives. Therefore, we are wise to examine whether we are preparing a table for two by the priorities we keep or unfortunately, communicating a far different message to our Lord and Savior.

"My will, my way, my ego, my plans, my schedule, my itinerary—I will make room for You. My habits, my attitude, whatever it is that's not like you. Whatever it is, You can move it over. I will make room. Whatever it is that's in Your way, whatever it is if it takes Your space, whatever it is I don't want it there. I will make room." Surrendering ourselves completely to the Lord's command should not be taken lightly or considered swiftly. God wants us to weigh the gravity of our choices and discern the decisions we make this side of heaven. For just as Joshua challenged the nation of Israel to fear the Lord, we too are called to recognize whether we have given God full control over our lives or are holding back a portion of our submission because we do not trust Him entirely. "Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD" (Joshua 24:14–15). Sometimes we hold onto destructive idols and behaviors in our lives because they are familiar to us. In essence, fear of the unknown can be a powerful tool for Satan to exploit when we pause and consider our submission vs. trusting God wholeheartedly. That is why Jesus said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 18:3). The power of faith is found in our ability to cast off fear and doubt and trust His sovereignty unconditionally. It does not matter what our social, economic, financial or even political status is, for faith is invaluable and freely available to every man, woman and child who calls upon the name of the Lord for salvation. If only we had the faith of a mustard seed, then our ability to cast off idols and prioritize the Lord would be second nature rather than a struggle for us to implement discipline into our lives. "The apostles said to the Lord, 'Increase our faith!' And the Lord said, 'If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you'" (Luke 17:5–6).

"I wanna seek You first and get the odd things out of the way. I wanna seek You first and move it all out of the way. Whatever it is, Lord, I just want You. I will make room. Whatever it is, You can move it all. Please just move it all. Help me move it all. Jesus, I just want You to know that I will make room." These lyrics remind me of a story Jesus once taught. "When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and finding none it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' And when it comes, it finds the house swept and put in order. Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there. And the last state of that person is worse than the first" (Luke 11:24–26). When we remove idols from our lives in order to prioritize God first, we must replace the idols' void with God's presence through prayer, meditation, memorization of Scripture, and most importantly, application to do what He says. What that means is we submit to the Lord's authority and engage Him personally through His Holy Word with relentless passion, seeking to obey what He says through unconditional application. In other words, we don't make excuses. Rather, we defend what the Bible stands for and apply its wisdom and absolute truth to our lives. "So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 10:32–33). Often times, we recognize areas we need to change or improve upon and begin making behavioral modifications to solve what we believe is the most pressing issue at hand. However, we typically fail to realize the most pressing issue lies deep beneath the surface, for the idols we think we're solving are simply surface issues which mask the true root of sin in our hearts (love of self). What's even more tragic is that removing sin in and of itself will only bring exponential destruction to our lives if we do not replace our idols with the Lord Himself through prayer and quality time in His Word. God wants nothing more than for us to move all obstacles which hinder us from seeking Him first, but we must complete the process by replacing our sinful tendencies with Godly, spiritual disciplines which keep us under the authority of His Word in humble submission and obedience to His sovereign grace. "Better is a little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble with it" (Proverbs 15:16).

"I find space for what I treasure. I make time for what I want. I choose my priorities and Jesus, You're my number one." Our lives, which testify whether we are living for Christ or our flesh, are a summation of millions of choices we make throughout the course of our time here on earth. Every decision we make carries spiritual weight. Therefore, we must recognize God's authority and submit to His sovereign will and wisdom, or embrace post-modernistic thinking where truth is relative and changes continually. Think about it. If we consider even the most simplistic choices we make each day, from what we eat to what we wear, are they not all a reflection of faith and trust one way or another? "And he (Jesus) said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you" (Luke 12:22–31). If we treasure God and His Word first and foremost, the cares of this world will become insignificant because we recognize our time here is temporary (even momentary). Therefore, there is no reason to fret over any decision we make because we recognize God is in control regardless of what we can only see in the moment through our limited perspective. Keep in mind, God is omniscient and sees what we cannot. Therefore, why would we ever elevate our personal judgment above His all-knowing power? Our lives are indeed a choice at every turn, which should compel a sense of urgency in our hearts to remove all obstacles so we can fix our eyes on the Lord alone without distraction (see Matthew 14:22–33). 

Jesus said, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light" (Matthew 11:28–30). Prioritization cannot be understated or undervalued in any way considering the amount of distractions vying for our attention on a daily basis. Therefore, we must be intentional to not only prioritize God first, but truly believe we are relinquishing our burdens at the foot of the cross and submitting to the Lord's supreme authority, which is spiritually light in comparison. Often times, we tend to consider our faith through the lens of duty and responsibility, which is nothing more than fruitless legalism. Therefore, quiet time with the Lord should be the most satisfying portion of our day, because we recognize every precious gift we have been given flows from His abundant grace and mercy. "Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen" (Ephesians 3:20–21). For example, I consider my wife God's greatest blessing to me, but that is only because I esteem Him as most important in my life. In other words, because I revere His sovereignty, I know my wife is His provision for me because He does not make a mistake. God knows my strengths and weaknesses and chose the perfect woman who loves me enough to hold me accountable to His righteous standard. She is an absolute treasure, but her value is infinitely magnified because of God, who created her and gave her to me even though I didn't deserve her love, grace, mercy and forgiveness in the slightest. When I wake up each morning and see her sleeping peacefully next to me, I should be compelled to immediately drop to my knees in thanksgiving and praise the Lord. The key is simply prioritizing God first so my perspective funnels every blessing and every choice I make through His absolute truth, which empowers me to live supernaturally for His glory. Jesus said, "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it" (Matthew 13:44–46). May we recognize the infinite treasure which lies before us this day and choose wisely by prioritizing WHO is most important in our lives, rather than what we consider most important each day.

AS YOU FIND ME (Personal Reflection)

I’ve been strong

And I’ve been broken within a moment 

I’ve been faithful

And I’ve been reckless at every bend 

I’ve held everything together

And watched it shatter

I’ve stood tall and I have crumbled

In the same breath

I have wrestled

And I have trembled toward surrender 

Chased my heart adrift

And drifted home again

Plundered blessing

Till I’ve been desperate to find redemption 

And every time I turn around

Lord You’re still there

I was found

Before I was lost

I was Yours

Before I was not

Grace to spare

For all my mistakes

And that part just wrecks me

And I know I don’t deserve this kind of love 

Somehow this kind of love is who You are 

It’s a grace I could never add up

To be somebody You still want

But somehow

You love me as You find me

Who am I

To think Your glory needs my praises 

But if this borrowed breath is Yours Lord 

Take it all

You are faithful and You are gracious 

And I’m just grateful

To think You don’t need a single thing 

And still You want my heart

I was found

Before I was lost

I was Yours

Before I was not

You wear the scars

For all my mistakes

And that part just wrecks me

Your love’s too good to leave me here

If You want my heart

I won’t second guess

‘Cause I need Your love

More than anything

I’m in

I’m Yours

Your love’s too good to leave me here 

Your love’s too good to leave me

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Now that the afterglow of Easter has passed, it is imperative we reflect upon what happens next. For it is easy to celebrate the cross of Calvary and empty tomb with gratefulness and appreciation to Jesus, but to what depth has His death and resurrection penetrated our hearts? I believe that is where a song like "As You Find Me," by Hillsong United, can help direct our paths to consider all God has revealed to us through the remembrance and celebration of Easter. I am a huge proponent of self-application as it relates to the faith in Christ we profess, because works produce fruit which testifies to the Spirit convicting change in our hearts. Scripture teaches, "What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace, be warmed and filled,' without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead" (James 2:14–17). Keep in mind, works do not save us in any way. "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast" (Ephesians 2:8–9). If we take credit for the grace God has shown, we diminish the sacrifice Jesus made on our behalf, and therefore, depend on self-preservation rather than complete dependence on Christ for our salvation. That is why I love this song so much, because it magnifies how lost we become when we attempt to strong-arm our way through life independently from God. It is an intimate song of reflection and one I personally identify with from start to finish. From my perspective, the essence of this song is simply, "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30). For no matter what obstacles life throws our way, our only chance of survival hinges upon our ability to die to self and follow Christ no matter the cost. "Then Jesus told his disciples, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?'" (Matthew 16:24–26).

"I’ve been strong and I’ve been broken within a moment. I’ve been faithful and I’ve been reckless at every bend. I’ve held everything together and watched it shatter. I’ve stood tall and I have crumbled in the same breath." If anyone has ever fallen away from their faith to one degree or another, these verses will strike a cord. I can attest this was my story at one, dark point in my life. I was raised in the Catholic church, saved from religion to faith after college, and have been actively involved in ministry most of my life. The only problem was my depth of faith and knowledge of God's Word were extremely shallow until 11-12 years ago. I knew the popular stories of Scripture but lacked true knowledge and wisdom to the extent I spent quality time with my Savior through prayer and Bible study. I was the prototypical "surface Christian," and my secretive  lack  of spiritual  disciplines and Biblical application almost destroyed everything and everyone I hold dear. Jesus said, "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it" (Matthew 7:24–27). I was that foolish man! In retrospect, I thought I was spiritual strong, yet God broke me of my pride. I thought I was a man of good character, faithful and trustworthy, yet I was irresponsibly reckless and put my family at immeasurable risk. I thought I had self-control to resist temptation and choose righteousness instead, only to watch my patterns of deception and manipulation crumble before my eyes in exposition for all to see. The enemy clouded my judgment with self-deception and self-exaltation, but ultimately it was my choice each time I yielded to the flesh and chose to satisfy my desires rather than serve the Lord. "Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall" (1 Corinthians 10:12).

"I have wrestled and I have trembled toward surrender. Chased my heart adrift and drifted home again. Plundered blessing till I’ve been desperate to find redemption, and every time I turn around, Lord, You’re still there." One thing I know from ample time spent regretting my failures is that God always provides opportunity to choose which direction we will take in life. "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry" (1 Corinthians 10:13–14). Anyone who has found themselves deep in the valley of despair can testify that choosing to obey God and not the flesh is one of the hardest decisions we will ever make. Simply stated, sin appeals to our senses and the enemy knows that, so he seduces us like an adulteress to suppress God's absolute truth in order to shackle us in bondage through guilt, shame and regret. "With much seductive speech she persuades him; with her smooth talk she compels him. All at once he follows her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a stag is caught fast till an arrow pierces its liver; as a bird rushes into a snare; he does not know that it will cost him his life" (Proverbs 7:21–23). Granted, Solomon's example focuses on the sin of sexual adultery, but are we not guilty of spiritual adultery every time we surrender our hearts to idols in our lives? We wrestle with temptation and tremble at the weight of each decision we make because we know what it's like to stand at the spiritual fork in the road and count the costs. If we're honest, we tend to squeeze every blessing imaginable out of God's grace until there is nothing left to gain for ourselves and we're desperate for replenishment. At that point we're willing to surrender, but only momentarily until the next payday comes and we're able to return to our strongholds. It is a vicious and unending cycle of sin/repent, sin/repent, yet one we're familiar with and content to resume despite knowing it will never truly satisfy our hearts. "Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly. Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him" (Proverbs 26:11–12).

"I was found before I was lost. I was Yours before I was not. Grace to spare for all my mistakes, and that part just wrecks me." These words are so incredibly powerful and paint a true picture of God's unending love for His wayward children. Jesus said, "You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another" (John 15:14–17). To know we are intentionally chosen and unconditionally loved by God is perhaps our greatest blessing this side of heaven, yet how often do we remember the immeasurable price paid for our salvation? In other words, Jesus died for our sins, but do we intimately remember that fact the very moment temptation appeals to our flesh? For example, is it enough to stop me from speaking harshly to my wife? Is it enough to stop me from complaining about difficult circumstances at work? Is it enough to stop me from sitting and watching sports rather than spending time with my children? Is it enough to stop me from thinking critically of others? When I examine my past, I see patterns of selfishness and self-righteousness deep below the surface undermining what appeared to be selflessness on the surface. In other words, I was proficient at funneling, calculating my outward behavior to satisfy selfish cravings below the surface. What is most regrettable is I foolishly assumed I had it altogether when nothing could be further from the truth. Undoubtedly, I was a spiritual hypocrite in every sense, yet God allowed me to roll around in the filth of my sin (just like the Prodigal Son) so I could recognize the error of my ways and seek retribution with Him and those I had sinned against. "But when he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants”’" (Luke 15:17–19). What we can never forget is that God intentionally chose to love us, knowing full well before He created us, every sin we would commit against Him. Therefore, if we reflect upon all the sins we have yielded to in our lifetime thus far, both great and small, and include all the sins we will regretfully make in the future as well, how can the absolute truth of God's unending and unconditional love not overwhelm our minds and completely wreck us to the core?

"And I know I don’t deserve this kind of love. Somehow this kind of love is who You are. It’s a grace I could never add up, to be somebody You still want. But somehow, You love me as You find me." The subtlety of this chorus is absolutely gripping considering the introspective weight of the lyrics and pre-chorus thus far. Typically, a song will crescendo to a chorus and explode in volume, yet the intensity of this chorus is found in its quiet simplicity. Paul reminds us, "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23). Because Jesus died in our place, we are reconciled to God if we trust Him as our Savior and make Him Lord of our lives. For it is true we all long for Christ to save us from eternal death, but do we stop short of making Him Lord of our lives? Lordship demands supreme power, rule and authority, which means we no longer submit to our flesh when temptation presents itself, but yield to the one who died to set us free from the power of sin. "For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:6–8). There is no way we deserve infinite grace and mercy as often as we sin against God. However, His love is so amazing that He carved a straight and narrow path out of the depths of hell itself to provide an eternal way of escape if only we would surrender our lives and put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ. Our Father in heaven welcomes us home, filthy and broken like the prodigal son, just as we are when we return to him and turn from our wicked ways. And not just welcomes us home, He actively pursues us when we are wandering and lost till He finds us, and then carries us home when we are too weak to muster the strength ourselves. Jesus said, "What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish" (Matthew 18:12–14). The only prerequisite God requires to receive us home is humility, repentance and surrender of our will for His, but the choice is ours to make and we must choose.

"Who am I to think Your glory needs my praises. But if this borrowed breath is Yours, Lord, take it all. You are faithful and You are gracious and I’m just grateful to think You don’t need a single thing, and still You want my heart." Upon His ceremonial entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, Jesus' followers cried out in jubilation, "saying, 'Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!' And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, 'Teacher, rebuke your disciples.' He answered, 'I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out'" (Luke 19:38–40). That story is important to remember because it proves God does not need us to praise Him. Creation itself testifies to His glory and majesty, therefore we are called to not only sing His praises but offer our lives as living sacrifices for whatever purpose He calls us to. Paul wrote, "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect" (Romans 12:1–2). Paul knew that without complete surrender of our personal desires for the Lord's sovereign will, we would be powerless to fulfill His purpose and resist fleshly temptations in this world. Again, the Lord does not need us in any way, for there is nothing inherently good about us to warrant His pursuit of our hearts. "For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out" (Romans 7:18). Yet that is exactly why His grace and love are so amazing, because though He doesn't need us, He desires to have a personal relationship with us despite our faults and failures. "The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance" (2 Peter 3:9). "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost" (Luke 19:10).

"Your love’s too good to leave me here. If You want my heart, I won’t second guess 'cause I need Your love more than anything. I’m in, I’m Yours. Your love’s too good to leave me here. Your love’s too good to leave me." Scripture declares, "It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed" (Deuteronomy 31:8). Knowing how faithful God is to us, how could we ever doubt His presence in our trials when we affirm He is ever-present in our triumphs? "But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children, to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments" (Psalm 103:17–18). Knowing Almighty God sacrificed His Son to purchase our salvation, how could we not uphold our end of the bargain and follow His commands? I believe too many in the church today take their salvation for granted, myself included, far more often than we realize or care to admit. For it is one thing to know what Scripture says, and another to apply its wisdom. "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like" (James 1:22–24). That is the difference between a tree which bears fruit and one that withers away, just as it is for the souls of mankind who profess faith in Christ vs. those who profess faith and follow His commands in Scripture. Jesus said, "For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks" (Luke 6:43–45). We will likely never be the greatest Christians who ever lived, but the fruit which is harvested from our lives will bear witness to the depth at which Christ reigns in our hearts. For the love of Jesus is too overwhelming to leave us stranded for eternity with no hope for salvation, which is why it is our responsibility to not take His precious gift of grace for granted but live worthy of the eternal sacrifice made on our behalf for the forgiveness of sins. "I (Paul) therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Ephesians 4:1–3).

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CLEAN (Personal Reflection - GOOD FRIDAY)

Precious blood has left me forgiven

Pure like the whitest of snow

Powerful to make sin and shame retreat

This covenant is making me whole

So I will rise and lift my head

For by His mercy my life was spared 

The highest Name has set me free

Because of Jesus

My heart is clean

Purify my heart in Your presence

Teach me to discover the joy

Of holiness that forms as You draw me close

In You what was lost is restored

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There is nothing more beautiful than a hymn sung a-Capella with harmony. I grew up singing in many choirs, ensembles and worship groups, so I have a deep appreciation for the intricacy of harmony which cuts through the air like no other. Considering the gravity of Good Friday, the simplicity of "Clean," by Hillsong United, is a perfect song of reflection to honor the sacrifice Jesus made over 2,000 years ago. Just as there is no need for numerous instruments to convey the beauty of this song, there is no necessity to over-complicate Good Friday as well. Its historical meaning and eternal significance speak for themselves. What's more important for us to remember is how MOURNING is one of the greatest teachings of Scripture we could ever embrace. Jesus said in His sermon on the mount, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted" (Matthew 5:4). This verse is familiar to many of us for it is a popular word of encouragement during funerals when loved ones pass away. However, most people would be surprised to learn Jesus' intent was not to offer a word of comfort to those mourning the death of a loved one. Rather, this verse speaks to those who mourn over their sin, for comfort is the byproduct of owning our failures and recognizing the eternal significance and impact sin has on our relationship with God. For many of us, Good Friday is simply a quick reminder that Jesus died on the cross of Calvary for the sins of mankind. However, it begs two simple questions. Without realizing, do we compartmentalize Good Friday in our minds to avoid the harsh reality that Jesus endured indescribable pain and horrific torture on our behalf? Or perhaps more plainly, do we recognize our indirect role as Christ's judge and executioner based on our continual addiction to sin in our lives? Isaiah reminds us He was scourged (beaten and whipped) beyond recognition to the extent He should have died from the flogging itself. Moreover, "His appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the children of mankind" (Isaiah 52:14), which paints a much more gruesome picture than we care to remember. "In his passion, Jesus was beaten into a shockingly inhuman mass of wounded flesh" (ESV Study Bible), yet very few of us care to admit that when we sin, we are carrying out His unjust sentence and secondarily performing the torturous acts against Him.

To mourn our sin means we understand, accept and embrace all the facets and intricacies of Biblical repentance which reconcile our hearts to God. Therefore, we must not only own our sins, but also correlate our iniquities to the literal torture and execution of Christ. In other words, we comprehend in our minds how sin leads to spiritual death, but we typically stop short of recognizing ourselves as Jesus' executioner. That is why Mel Gibson's "Passion of the Christ" is so gripping to the eye, because it does not sugarcoat what really happened. Rather, it paints a horrifying picture, historically accurate, of the torture and execution techniques commonly used 2,000 years ago. Without question, it comes across as barbaric and inhumane to our modern sensibilities, but the gravity of seeing Jesus' flesh ripped apart at the expense of a leather whip strewn with metal prongs and shards of glass should compel us to tears, and more importantly, give us a sobering glimpse into the destructive reality of atonement our sin demands. Scripture affirms, "Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 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. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:4–6). This is certainly not a message any of us care to deeply reflect upon this joyous Easter holiday, but the reality of Good Friday alone demands we stop compartmentalizing ourselves from the Gospel story and start recognizing the part we played. We simply cannot allow self-righteousness to render us incapable of condemning Jesus. That was the Pharisees' problem. They considered themselves above the law and able to justify their sinful thoughts and actions, which consequently led them to discredit and/or erradicate anyone who stood in their way (i.e. Jesus). Therefore, we are wise to reconsider Good Friday with fresh perspective, grounded in humility and a solemn understanding of our role Jesus' death. Far too long we have been content to gloss over Good Friday as if it were a quick pit stop on the 3-day journey to Easter. Unfortunately, our passivity to stop and seriously contemplate what truly happened on the road to Calvary has desensitized us to the point we've minimized how guilty we truly are.

"Precious blood has left me forgiven, pure like the whitest of snow, powerful to make sin and shame retreat. This covenant is making me whole." The whole point of forcing our minds to soak upon the gory details of Jesus' torture and execution is to magnify how precious His gift of salvation truly is. When we consider how Jesus, innocent and blameless, was unjustly crucified for sins He never committed, we begin to understand more deeply why God chose to sacrifice His son on our behalf the way He did. "He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly" (1 Peter 2:22–23). Our sins are the epitome of wretchedness and filth, which demand God's wrath be poured out to atone for our transgressions. For we cannot stand in the presence of God for eternity with any stain of unrighteous guilt on our hands, which is why Jesus sacrificed His own body to the point of torture and crucifixion so we would not have to endure it ourselves. Just as God's immeasurable love is magnified by His holy wrath, we are washed, cleansed and forgiven, without stain or blemish, by the precious blood of Jesus. "But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation" (Romans 5:8–11). The beauty of God's covenant of salvation is that He offers it freely to every man, woman and child who humbles themselves and submits to the supreme authority of Scripture, God's Word, through obeying His commands. By surrendering our lives to Christ, we are set free from the stronghold of sin in our hearts, and born-again into new life with Jesus. Therefore, we are forever united with Him as our Lord and Savior, who gave His life to ensure we would live for eternity. "Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:3–4).

"So I will rise and lift my head, for by His mercy my life was spared. The highest Name has set me free, because of Jesus my heart is clean." This chorus echoes the time a woman caught in adultery was brought before Jesus. The Pharisees sought to entrap Him in blasphemy in order to justify His arrest, so they calculated an opportunity to see if He would reject the Law of Moses. There was no denying this woman had committed a grievous sin which the law demanded retribution in the form of death by stoning. What happened next, though, is truly remarkable. "Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, 'Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.' And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, 'Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?' She said, 'No one, Lord.' And Jesus said, 'Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more'" (John 8:6–11). The reason the Pharisees could not follow through with stoning this guilty, adulterous woman was because Jesus challenged them to first remove the log from their own eye before judging the sins of another. "Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?" (Matthew 7:3). What we cannot miss is that unlike the Pharisees who were sinners just like us, Jesus was perfect and sinless. He actually had the power and authority to not only judge her, but carry out her death sentence without question. However, Jesus chose to lift her head from the ashes and forgive her sin, sparing her life with immeasurable grace and mercy because He knew He would eventually die shortly thereafter for the sins she committed. "But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved" (Ephesians 2:4–5). Just because Jesus died for the sins of mankind doesn't mean we automatically go to heaven when we die on account of what happened at the cross and empty tomb. Rather, we must BELIEVE what happened is true, and in turn ACCEPT Christ's death, burial and resurrection as atonement for the forgiveness of our sins. Only then can we be assured salvation for eternity. "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast" (Ephesians 2:8–9).

"Purify my heart in Your presence. Teach me to discover the joy of holiness that forms as You draw me close. In You, what was lost is restored." "Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment" (Psalm 51:1–4). King David wrote this honest prayer because he was convicted in his spirit by the prophet Nathan that he had sinned mightily against God. David had to humble himself (as king), publicly own his sin, and unconditionally accept the consequences of his actions to receive reconciliation with God through repentance. It was not easy for such a proud king as David to be brought humiliatingly low, but God redeemed his heart and washed away his iniquity because David did not shy away from the spiritual responsibility his faith in God demanded. That is why we can all learn so much from Psalm 51 and apply its wisdom and understanding as our blueprint for repentance when we stray from God's righteous standard. "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit" (Psalm 51:10–12). Again, mourning our sin with the same passion and exhaustion we mourn the death of a loved one is the key to experiencing peace which transcends all understanding. For we are not called to wallow in our shame for eternity; rather, guilt should motivate us to reconcile our hearts to God so we can relinquish the scarlet letter of regret we tend to hold onto at the foot of the cross. "But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:22–23).

In the end, there must be a stop-gap placed in our hearts and minds when temptation presents itself. Paul wrote, "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry" (1 Corinthians 10:13–14). Inevitably, our spiritual survival hinges upon the depth at which mourning sin resides in our soul. If our intentions are shallow, we will fall victim to idolatry and continue sinning without the slightest remorse and/or desire to break the cycle. However, if our mourning reaches the depths of our souls, we have a far greater chance of resisting temptation and avoiding getting entrapped in its deadly snare. "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you" (James 4:7–10). Bottom-line, Good Friday should not only be a day of remembrance for the Christian church, but a sobering reminder that our sins drive the nails deeper into our Savior's hands and feet, the thorns deeper into His brow, and the sword deeper into His side. Therefore, we need literal perspective on occasion to break through the compartmentalization of our minds which separates personal sin from what happened at Calvary. It's easy to blame the Pharisees for instigating Jesus' arrest and manipulating His trial and ultimate, death sentence, but are we so foolish to presume we played no part in His execution? In other words, we will never be the ones who shouted, "Crucify Him," that fateful day before Pilate, but we are indeed endorsing His crucifixion every moment we yield to temptation and willingly choose to sin. It is a sobering reality, but necessary to drive home how serious sin is and the penalty required to pay our ransom. King David humbly confessed, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise" (Psalm 51:17). Therefore, may we never forget the ultimate price Jesus paid to purchase our souls from hell and reconcile our hearts to the Father—perhaps then the gruesome details of His flogging and crucifixion will convict us enough to steer us away from our tempestuous patterns once and for all. "Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise" (Psalm 51:14–15).

REMEMBRANCE (Personal Reflection)

I take the bread of life
Broken for all my sin
Your body crucified
To make me whole again

I will recall the cup
Poured out in sacrifice
To trade this sinner's end
For Your new covenant

Hallelujah
I'll live my life in remembrance
Hallelujah
Your promise I won't forget

I'll walk salvation's road
With fear and trembling
Your way borne as my own
As Christ is formed in me

If ever I should lose my way
If ever I deny Your grace
Remind me of the price You paid
Hallelujah
I'll live in remembrance

You've been so, so good to me
You've been so, so good to me
Oh to think where I would be
If not for You
If not for You

As far as heights reach from the depths
As far as east is from the west
So far Your grace has carried me
Until I see You face to face
Until at last I've won my race
Remind me You're not finished yet
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
I'll live in remembrance

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As we begin Easter week, I pray this reflection will help prepare our hearts to consider each step of Jesus' journey, from His ceremonial entry into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday) through the Last Supper (Holy Thursday), to His death at Calvary (Good Friday) and triumphal resurrection (Easter Sunday). Easter is the cornerstone of our Christian faith, yet in many cases, this season of remembrance has been consumed by fear and trepidation amid coronavirus (Covid-19). Unfortunately, the majority of church buildings are closed indefinitely due to the pandemic, so how will Easter be affected? First, let us remind ourselves who (not what) the church is. "For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another" (Romans 12:4–5). While buildings allow followers of Jesus to gather together in community and worship together, the church (one body in Christ) is not a man-made structure but the fellowship itself. Therefore, no matter the proximity challenges Covid-19 presents, Easter will be celebrated in the homes of every man, woman and child who professes faith in Jesus Christ, just as the original church demonstrated for us. "And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved" (Acts 2:46–47). No matter the challenges life throws our way, we must remember God's sovereignty reigns over all, including pandemics and natural disasters, because His omniscience is unparalleled compared to our limited understanding. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD" (Isaiah 55:8). God is certainly not immune to our concerns during this Covid-19 pandemic nor is the timing of this crisis by accident. Therefore, we are at a spiritual crossroads as the body of Christ. In many ways the enemies of God will rejoice, assuming Easter has been reduced to a shell of itself and rendered insignificant for fiscal 2020 because of Covid-19. However, they would be remiss to assume Easter is minimized in any way. For this season of remembrance is a call to action for revival, that we would quiet our hearts in the quarantined isolation of our homes and focus our attention on the gravity of what we are celebrating, without cultural distraction or busyness.

"I take the bread of life broken for all my sin. Your body crucified to make me whole again. I will recall the cup poured out in sacrifice, to trade this sinner's end for Your new covenant." Communion is paramount for all followers of Jesus to remember and practice, not just Catholics. The metaphorical significance of bread as His body (broken) and wine as His blood (poured out) cannot be understated, for it immediately connects the Last Supper to the cross of Calvary for eternity. "And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, 'This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.' And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, 'This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood'" (Luke 22:19–20). I cannot begin to imagine how Jesus must have felt that night in the upper room, knowing what was about to happen less than 24 hours later. Keep in mind, He spoke to His disciples somewhat vaguely rather than bluntly stating what was about to happen. Like many of the parables He taught, He painted a picture but left out certain details which the disciples would piece together after all was said and done. In other words, Jesus left room for the Holy Spirit to add color (understanding) to the masterpiece God had created by tracing out a rough sketch of what was to come and allowing the Spirit to fill in the blanks. Like an abstract work of art, it took time for the disciples to comprehend the significance of what happened, therefore we are wise to learn from their example and consider the gravity of the moment before us now. Unfortunately, the disciples were so caught up in themselves that immediately after Jesus spoke these things, "A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest" (Luke 22:24). They simply could not see the forest through the trees and demonstrated for us all how feeble our minds can become when consumed by the cares of this world rather than the righteousness of God. Inevitably, their minds were too weak to comprehend what was about to happen because their self-interests clouded their understanding of God's will in that moment. "Then Jesus said to them, 'You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered’'" (Matthew 26:31).

"Hallelujah! I'll live my life in remembrance. Hallelujah! Your promise I won't forget." What we must reconcile in our hearts this Easter is simply, "What will we remember?" Are we near-sighted in our faith to assume God could not use Covid-19 as a platform for spiritual revival in our hearts? For just as Joseph learned the sovereign purpose of his brothers' betrayal was for their inevitable salvation, we are wise to comprehend how God creates beauty from ashes when we trust in His sovereignty. "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today" (Genesis 50:20). The beauty of remembering God's faithfulness in the valley of despair is knowing the sun will rise again and cast away the clouds of darkness which seek to entrap our minds. That is why we must cling to Scripture which reminds us, "The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 'The LORD is my portion,' says my soul, 'therefore I will hope in him'" (Lamentations 3:22–24). Speaking that truth over our hearts is the essence of proclaiming, "Hallelujah!" Unfortunately, many followers of Christ miss out on the blessings God is waiting to pour out because they fail to cling to His Word above all else. Jesus warns, "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit" (Matthew 12:33). Therefore, we are without excuse and accountable to live out our faith by remembering and then applying God's absolute truth. For example, "How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Blessed are you, O LORD; teach me your statutes! With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth. In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word" (Psalm 119:9–16).

"I'll walk salvation's road with fear and trembling. Your way borne as my own as Christ is formed in me." Reverence is a word long forgotten in our world today, yet is desperately needed and warranted in the body of Christ. Noah Webster defines it as "fear mingled with respect and esteem; veneration. The fear acceptable to God, is a filial fear, an awful reverence of the divine nature, proceeding from a just esteem of his perfections, which produces in us an inclination to his service and an unwillingness to offend him." Imagine how revival would ignite worldwide if mankind truly revered the Lord and took His wrath seriously. Countless souls would be won for Christ because the eternal destination of every human being would be magnified. Unfortunately, mankind has become immune to the power and majesty of God, desensitized by virtual reality which turns warfare into video game simulation and incomprehensible destruction into television and movie entertainment. That is why God does not typically reveal Himself by mighty wonders of Creation. Rather, He speaks in ways which force us to remove the noise from our minds and quiet our hearts so we can hear His voice calling out our name. Elijah learned this lesson first-hand when He questioned where God was in the midst of His depression. "And he (God) said, 'Go out and stand on the mount before the LORD.' And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper" (1 Kings 19:11–12). Let us not forget our sins separate us from God's sovereign protection and render us vulnerable to attack and spiritual calamity. That is why we need a Savior (Jesus) to rescue us from the snare of the enemy who seeks to eternally separate us from God. Therefore, "He (Jesus) is the propitiation (appeasement of God's wrath) for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says 'I know him' but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked" (1 John 2:2–6).

"If ever I should lose my way, if ever I deny Your grace, remind me of the price You paid. Hallelujah! I'll live in remembrance." How many of us can honestly say we have never fallen away, post-conversion, in some form or fashion? Make no mistake, we are not immune to sin simply because we recite a prayer of salvation and accept Jesus as Lord and Savior of our lives. Temptation will assuredly come, but we have new life in Christ which enables us to turn away from our flesh and choose to live for righteousness. "For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery" (Galatians 5:1). We must understand no human being is exempt from the curse of sin, which is why it is essential we wash our minds with the water of God's Word and cleanse our hearts from self-seeking motives. Like the prodigal son who recognized the error of his ways and humbled himself in repentance, we have the ability through the power of the Holy Spirit to turn from our wicked ways, knowing God will redeem us. "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works" (Titus 2:11–14). Therefore, we must reject the schemes of the enemy which tempt us to doubt our salvation. For no matter the sins we have committed, if we are born again in Christ, we are empowered to pick ourselves up from the place where we have fallen, and continue living for righteousness from that point on in obedience to Christ. Far too many Christians assume if they have fallen into sin they are exempt from His grace, but nothing could be further from the truth. God calls us to recognize the error of our ways, own our sin through repentance, and seek restitution with Him and those we have sinned against. Once that process has completed, we are instructed to continue on in faith, submission and obedience to Christ, with praise and thanksgiving for his unending grace and mercy. 

"You've been so, so good to me. You've been so, so good to me. Oh, to think where I would be if not for You, if not for You." As born-again followers of Jesus, we are called by God to be light and salt in this world, which is easily identified by the level of thankfulness we filter our thoughts and behavior through. Jesus said, "You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 5:13–16). True, Biblical thankfulness in our hearts acknowledges God is supremely in control and that the grace we have been given is unmerited. Thankfulness pours forth from our soul by recognizing how wretched we truly are compared to His holiness, just as Isaiah experienced in his vision of the Lord. "And I said, 'Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!' Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: 'Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for'" (Isaiah 6:5–7). God's holiness demands our hearts be reconciled to enter into His presence, hence why Jesus suffered on our behalf for the forgiveness of our sins. Therefore, praise should ever flow from our mouths if we truly recognize the immeasurable gift we have been given, and why no trial, heartache or suffering can ever deter us from singing the Lord's praises at all times. "I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth" (Psalm 34:1).

"As far as heights reach from the depths, as far as east is from the west, so far Your grace has carried me. Until I see You face to face, until at last I've won my race, remind me You're not finished yet. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! I'll live in remembrance." One of the greatest promises of Scripture is this: "The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him" (Psalm 103:8–13). We are wise to recognize that fear of the Lord is grounded in reverence and humility, and therefore revere the Lord by giving Him the reverence He is due and humbling ourselves by serving him unconditionally and wholeheartedly. In turn, He grants us immeasurable grace to endure anything and everything life throws our way, because nothing can separate us from the love of Jesus. Paul wrote, "For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38–39). Therefore, we must remember this Easter week the price He paid to ransom us from the power of sin and death, for our eternal benefit and His ultimate glory. Jesus said, "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you" (John 15:13–15). May we consider the magnitude of this truth as we prepare our hearts to reflect upon His death and resurrection this Easter week.