“. . . I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me shall live even if he dies.”
John 11:25 (NASB)

Alleluia!  Praise the risen King!  Lord, we trust in Your great might as evidenced through Your death and resurrection.  The resurrection of Christ is the cornerstone of our faith.  Nothing else matters.  If Jesus did not rise from the dead then the gospel is not true.  If Jesus had not risen from the grave, we would be without hope.  Death would still have its sting each time we lose a loved one to its cold grip.  We would live in constant fear of its dark veil shrouding our days.

The resurrection of Jesus is God’s guarantee to us that He has accepted His Son’s death as sufficient payment for our sin.  Without Christ’s resurrection, there is no gospel, no forgiveness of sin, and no victory over the grave.  Because of His resurrection, we can face death without fear.  Like Jesus, we too shall be raised from the grave.

But did the resurrection mean that His work was finished?
Christ’s resurrection frees us to approach God’s throne with confidence.

We have a representative in heaven.  Jesus is our sympathetic high priest; our mediator with God.  He was tempted in all things as we are, yet remained without sin.  Because He was born as a man and lived and died as a man, He knows and understands all that we experience.  He knows what it’s like to hurt, to grieve, to love, to be overcome with fatigue.  He is so intimately involved with each of us that He even knows the number of hairs on our heads!  Believers can rejoice because God is with us at all times.  Christ’s name, Immanuel, means “God with us, “literally translated as “The Father of Eternity.”  He is eternally sovereign, yet so compassionate that He weeps with us.  He feels what we feel.

No, Christ’s work did not end at the cross.  He is very much with us through His Word and His Holy Spirit.  He continues to pave the way for us each day.  Even as you read this He sits next to His Father in heaven ready to intercede for you.  And though Satan blinds the minds of non-believers so they cannot see the reality of the gospel, Christ calls us to respond in faith.  He can dispel the darkness and cause His light to shine in your heart – if you will allow Him.

Alleluia! Praise the risen King!  Though dragons breed again to fight, Lord, we trust in Your great might!

Dear Jesus, thank You for dying for me.  It is so incomprehensible to me that You love me that much.  Even as I pray right now, I know that You sit at the right hand of God ready to intercede for me.  I am struggling with ______________  this very moment.  I give this burden to You and pray that through Your wisdom and strength, You will guide me through this difficult time.“. . . I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me shall live even if he dies.”
John 11:25 (NASB)

Written by Debbie Meece in conjunction with David’s “Once in a Lifetime” CD