Today's sermon revolved around Christ's prayer before being betrayed. For not only Jesus' strength in the Father but for the strength of the Disciples and for the future generations of Christians. Jesus prayed for us all in that moment, for us to be in Him while we're on earth, and be protected from the world. If you're of the world, you aren't of the Lord... your core being has to be about Jesus and His direction for our lives. We're in the world, but we're not "of" the world. It's very difficult to do day after day.
One thing that brought me back to a humble reality was to realize who I am to others in my life. Who I portray on a daily basis. Do people know I'm a Christian? Do the things I do and say reveal Christ to anyone in my path? Most days I'd have to say no, sadly... My language, my attitude, the things I choose to talk about to others... are hardly influenced by the Lord. That's a sad reality for me, because in my heart, I know what I'm supposed to be, and day after day I fall so short. I've had people say they didn't think I was a Christian when they heard me profess that I am. How awful that moment was - to realize that people who I've spent time around had no idea where my heart was. I don't want people to make that mistake again, but like I said, day after day, it's tough to get through without stumbling on the world we walk through.
Easter season isn't what it used to be as far as I'm concerned. It used to be a time of humility and of sacrifice as my parents would teach us what the lenten season was about, and what that could look like in our own lives. As an adult I haven't practiced worshiping the Lord in my humility nor have I sacrificed anything in order to be reminded of what Jesus did during his 40 days in the wilderness, or his ultimate sacrifice on the cross. I walk through this time of year without adding those aspects to my daily worship. I think I've been making a mistake in that I've been passive in my relationship with the Lord during these important seasons of the year. We need to bring ourselves to a place of humility in the presence of God, be it during Easter or daily... It's hard to break out of our routines in order to implement a time of sacrifice. It's too hard to do sometimes. But if we do it, we can experience a communion with the Lord through that sacrifice that we wouldn't have otherwise.
This Easter season, spend a moment or two dwelling on what Jesus did for us both in His sacrifice and in His prayers for us as Christians. Take the time to listen to the Easter story, and fit that into your celebrations. Eggs, bunnies, candy, and everything else that the world has made this season to be doesn't have any impact on your life as a Christian. Sacrificing yourself for others, giving to the needs of your fellow man, and showing the world who Christ is in you is the thing that makes the Easter season what it was meant to be.
Be blessed this Easter and always! Rejoice! For He was was dead is alive once more!
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