This week is Holy Week…the week leading up to the Cross, the day of enduring the Cross, the pure Victory the Cross fulfilled, and the Resurrection.  Our entire Christian faith is based upon what happened, not to Jesus Christ, but for us!

Our devotional this week points out that the Cross was the very purpose of God, fulfilled by God, to restore mankind into fellowship with God. God, you see, was up to something!  What we count as centuries God counts as but a breath, as He breathes life eternal back into his creature man.

One could say that every day of our lives, today is a battle against sin. We each struggle with certain things, certain temptations, certain weaknesses, and even certain doubts. And then the Word of God comes to us, explaining that Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. HE 11:1    It is faith that rises up against all comers who would destroy us. It is faith that rises up to both protect us and save us. It is faith that rises up to defeat the certain things, certain temptations, certain weaknesses, and even certain doubts. Let faith arise! 

Faith is not some kind of wishful thinking, backed by nothing, like our money today! No, faith is the absolute and solid currency of our eternity! And faith in Jesus Christ is that certain currency like no other. It doesn’t lose value. It doesn’t fail. It doesn’t wear out. Faith in Jesus Christ is eternal faith and faith for eternity!

Yes, there are lots of ‘faith systems.’ Lots of fake currencies. But faith in Jesus Christ is a proven currency, a proven faith, because of what He accomplished for us, that nothing else could. No amount of human thought, no amount of effort, no amount of human works or attempted manipulation of God will do for us what Christ did for us on the Cross. He paid the price. He did the work. He atoned for our sin. Only Christ! 

No other god, you see, lasts. Not the god of money, or the god of sports, or the god of education, or the god of self. No other god lasts to the end, but rather all others gods simply end. They come and go like carved objects we ourselves craft with our own hands or in our own minds. They don’t last.

Jesus Christ, however, was, is, and will be, forever. Jesus Christ, you can count on, lasting forever.

Is it possible, I ask you, that God is up to something?

Is it possible this virus is part of a plan?

Is it possible this virus is a wake-up call of some kind?

Is it possible that God is using this virus to get our attention, and if so, to what?

My Carol likes to say: “When number 1 hurts badly enough, number 1 will change.”  Are we hurting badly enough, and if so what should change? Is this about our economy, our freedom to move about, our physical or health conditions, our ‘state of readiness’ for some plague, or what?

Is it possible this virus has some spiritual purpose?

What should Holy Week be about for us, as we determine to “Remember Me” in the Sacrament of Communion? Should our remembrance go beyond just the mental, into some kind of actual and intentional change of behavior on our part?

I know I’m asking a lot of questions, because I have a lot of questions. I am seeking the Lord. I am looking to Jesus Christ for His leadership of my life, my family, my church. I want to be a good citizen, but especially of His Kingdom, not just this earthly one.

Join with me during this Holy Week; in Communion, in fellowship, in Biblical study, in prayer, and of course in Worship.  We can “be together” in spirit, joining in pursuit of Holy Spirit guidance, comfort, strength, and power!

We can say ‘no’ to the enemy of our souls! We can say ‘no’ to the rulers of this realm, if need be, because ours is an eternal realm not of here. We can exercise our faith, and see it grow, and experience new depths of Grace, Mercy, and relationship with Jesus Christ.

We can….

May Magnificent Blessings Overflow you,

Pastor Skip