Tuesday 18 April 2017

Twelve Months of Christ: April



Blood cakes around the rusting nail, water mixing with tears. The moaning cries of a woman can be heard in the rumbling of the sky. Thorns look up as a yell is heard in the heavens.

As the next day settles, an empty tomb greets those grieving outside. He comforts them by appearing to them. The story we share every year. We have just celebrated Easter and spent the past week-end reflecting on the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the significance of it and what it means for all of us. But what happens after Easter?

How often do we think about God during this period? Give thought to the person who made the decision to unselfishly sacrifice His only Son in order to give us a second chance.

I haven’t until this year. I had to deliver a message this past Sunday and being Easter Sunday, they expected one about the passion of Christ but trying to be different (always!), I went right instead of left and asked them too, what happens after Easter?

Shouldn’t we honour God for sacrificing Jesus Christ?
Shouldn’t we honour the memory of it by honouring God? 
Don’t we often show honour to someone close to us who we have lost on earth?
Don’t we honour our parents for raising us?
Shouldn’t we honour the one who allowed all of this to happen?

Reading these questions, you are also probably saying to yourself…great idea but how, when and why?

Firstly, we honour God by seeing what all He has done and praise Him for it. We honour God in the words we use, the actions we show and the way we live our life. We honour God by following Him, allowing Him to use His power in our life and by accepting His purpose and promise for us.

Secondly, we should be honouring God all the time, every second, minute and hour of our day. Yes, I know, way easier to write than to do and we are humans so we don’t do this but we can certainly keep trying. God knows we are not perfect and that we won’t do this all the time but all He wants is for us to try, and keep trying until practise makes perfect.

Lastly why? Why should we honour God for the decisions He has made and will make? Would we even know the difference if the results were different?
We didn’t ask Him to, did we?

Revelation 4: 9 & 11 answers…….

These living creatures give glory, honour, and thanks 
to the One who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever. 
You are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory and honour and power,
because you made all things.
Everything existed and was made,
because you wanted it. 

Honour God from today, letting Him know that you know that He is ultimately the One making the big decisions and taking the most risk in raising us…His family, His children, His beloved.