...because

...finish of previous post.

because as we consider the fullness of God perhaps we will be listening to what He has in store for us..today.

Family.

Hope.

Live in this day.

Love.

Remembering Christ.

Sacredness.

Being made Holy.

Being His.

Filled with sin..yet looking to the One who took my place.

Resting. "I am restless until I rest in Thee" -St. Augistine

Here am I....

Day 40.

Blessings,

-ao

Triumphant preparation...day 40

Forty days. Preparing for what wel already "know" is coming. Sunday...but, not yet. Let us not yet go to Sunday. For it isn't yet the time. The time is....now.

Joseph and Nicodemus (followed by the sisters Mary) requested the body of Christ, took the body, and prepared the body to be buried...and buried the body of our Lord. Both of these disciples..were disciples yet they were not so much visible ones. They, intimidated by the Pharisees and other religious folk, his from sight as followers of Jesus. They stood at a distance. Until..their time. Their time to represent to me...to you, to all that they did stand for Jesus. They did..they went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus to be handed over to them ask they could give Him proper burial.

Where were the others? Where were the nay-sayers? Where were the women? Where were the ingres healed by Jesus? Went these two yellow men? Afraid to truly reveal their hearts and desires to be with Jesus. Until it was the right time. Time appointed by the Lord. Time for us to take notice. Time to care for and with the body of Christ.

So is today. Time to care for the body of Christ. Time to consider the Cross. Considering the words of Jesus, "It is finished" (I like the translation, "accomplished") and ponder the fullness of the love of God.

Darkness fell and a holiday called “Holy” and “Good”

Night 38.
It’s the eve of the day in which Jesus took upon my sin. It is late, actually. It is dark. I can hear the waves crashing….waves from the ocean as the beach is across the street from me – right now.
Waves – crashing. Proclaiming that something propels them toward the sand at the shore – something from somewhere I cannot see nor fully understand it’s desire to keep coming like a fury that screams beauty and danger and serenity all in the same. It’s an indescribable wonder.
So is the cross. INDESCRIBABLE. We will look more there tomorrow. For now, I couldn’t help but think about the night. Darkness. The day that became dark. The day darkness fell. It’s tomorrow. It is called, “Good”. It is called this to remember as in days of old when a good day was a “holy” day. Good=Holy. AKA, “reading from the Good Book” to mean reading from the book that his Holy – the Bible. Holy Friday is tomorrow. The day darkness fell. The day Jesus would split the barrier of personal access to God – no longer accessible only-by-priest but on its way toward heart-access as a temple-inside-me-faith.
More waves crashing. More thoughts of tomorrow – Earth Day. A “rare coincidence” in which these two holidays land on the same day – Good Friday and Earth Day. It seems no mistake, if you ask me. One day to remember the death of Christ –His Crucifixion. Another day to remember the dying planet – its crucifixion – both are represented deaths by….me. I am a contributor in both days. Now as we look to remember and point to Christ….to what comes on Sunday as the sun will rise again – maybe, in the darkness of tonight, I can wonder what must it have been like when Jesus died. When the friend of sinners and miracle man and God-in-flesh Himself gave up His spirit!! What must his followers have thought as the light on Earth died away, literally, the sun went away and as God Himself had to look away from all our Sin, the lights went out and then the curtain – access into the Holy of Holies – access to the presence of God ripped from Heaven-side downward to Earth. ACCESS to the Father. Debt – paid. Sin-became-reconciled in Him; Light of the World, made by Him.
It’s wild. It’s odd. It is a thing of God-sized beauty that I can’t wrap my mind around – thank Heavens. Darkness fell upon the land….as The Darkness was defeated because God laid upon Him the Iniquity of us all.
So, when talks of Easter egg hunts and family get-togethers and golf outings and whatever might else occur-  where will you be? What will you consider? Will you consider the day when Darkness fell? Will you consider the focus of Christ upon the Father and the coming Spirit…upon the will of God to continue His infinite love-story?
I will try my best. I will consider. I will listen. Love-fury by God Himself. Passion comes not even close to whatever it was that He offered, became, and conquered. It was more. It simply IS.
A few days ago, in my quiet time, I felt the voice of the Lord telling me to write these words…
“I AM” –Jesus
In that moment I saw the clouds moving seemingly toward me – one continuous strand of clouds….as if to see and hear the Lord telling me of His presence, His pursuit, and His undying Love.
Oh, how I need you Lord.
A dark night before Light arises!

Blessings,
-ao

40 days... Day 38...preparation for triumph

Maunday Thursday.

Day 38.

Mandate. Commandment-related...Thursday. One day before "Good Friday". Hard to watch Jesus be nailed to the cross and call it or consider it "good" yet, we do, and...it is.

The commandment today refers to is when Jesus said....

John 13:33-35 MSG

"Children, I am with you for only a short time longer. You are going to look high and low for me. But just as I told the Jews, I'm telling you: 'Where I go, you are not able to come.' "Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples-when they see the love you have for each other."

A couple days ago, I sat with my family and we talked about looking in the mirror...about the words from the Lord..."I love you"- and as we see our own pupils, to recognize that Jesus stares into those eyes saying those very words...even as He makes His way to the cross, as He becomes our very own Sin...as He experiences and delivers the full blow of Love. So, we,too, are called to love one another. I told my family to consider the words "Jesus loves me", perhaps on this Maunday Thursday we should consider what is Love?

Tomorrow we consider the word, "accomplished".

Today..."a new commandment".

Blessings,

-ao

40 days... preparation for triumph

Day 37

It is painful, Lord.

I feel like the trek to the cross is getting harder, almost in slow-motion as these days, the Day draws nearer.

What is it that you are up to within me? Teach me Holy Spirit, who is my King? Where am I in the account of Jesus & the Jewish crowd....who am I begging to be pardoned? Am I curious at "what is truth?" (Pilate) or am I concerned with false and instant gratification?

Transgression - Repetitive. Familiar. Crossing-the-line. Sin-again! Intentional missing of the mark.

Iniquity - My wrong doing against the Father & His statutes.

God laid upon Him...His Son-for me...here lies the difficulty.

Standing in front of the mirror...I see me. My pupils. My sin.

Help me Jesus.

Crucify. Crucify. Crucify!!!!!

(they screamed all the louder...)

My need for The Savior is growing in clarity and urgency in these final Lenten days. Perhaps yours, too.

Blessings....prayers in Christ.

-ao

40 Days....triumphant depth

Day 27.

Yesterday I gave the "sin talk" at club.

It is tough to stand up in front of high schoolers and tell them we all have this vomit of the heart-a condition inside us all. It's called sin. I did my best. I prepared ahead of time and worked on what would be said. I had notes. I prayed. Yet when I stood up it was still extraordinarily difficult. I struggled to keep their attention, struggled to know my talk, struggled to be confident that God used me to communicate truth in kids' lives. I spoke for much longer than I should have. I felt attacked after the message. I felt like Elijah after defeating the prophets of Baal...wanting to put my head between my knees.

I communicated what felt like it was from God. I stood boldly. I felt the Spirit using me....I saw distracted eyes in the crowd...I heard some "liked"the talk. Can you really like a message that says your heart is blocked from God because of self inflicted wounds..because of something that entered the world and broke the heart of God? Because of Sin. They did.

Why am I upset? I am sinful..I am analyzing and I gave a bad model to our leaders. My talk was incredibly too long. I felt poured out. I felt like I wanted to hide. I felt like Satan himself was doing in them and in me all he could to distract and detract from God's love story. Maybe he did....but underneath that mess is the Holy truth and the greatest love story..the journey that I have been walking these 27 days preparing for the triumph of Christ..for the finest hour that enables me salvation and hope..for His sacrifice. For my fears and neglect to be cast into hell. Yours too.

Today..this a.m. I woke up with excruciating pain in my big toe. Gout.

No wonder. Distraction...deterrent from this sacred journey to the cross..nope. No way. What is it Lord that you have in store for me? Today I walk with a limp. I can't workout. I can't run. I can't walk without this reminder of pain.

Last night I showed pain in our lives by stabbing a grapefruit with knives left in it.....showing the things we use to fill our need create wounds in our hearts and shield us from God due to our sin condition....no wonder I am hurting today. I am living this one out.

Lord be with me this day. Thank you for your message to me in an email from my wife. Your word is in me....

Thanks be to God.

Blessings.

-ao

Day 25

Today is actually day 25....but let us soak in what He has in store...

Previous writing is from day 24.

His peace.

-ao

40 days...Preparation for triumph - day 24

John 15:18-19 MSG

"If you find the godless world is hating you, remember it got its start hating me. If you lived on the world's terms, the world would love you as one of its own. But since I picked you to live on God's terms and no longer on the world's terms, the world is going to hate you.

.....(in my time with the Lord today)


"Note the first phrase: "IF you find the godless world is hating you." There is no promise that the world will hate you, but might I say that it is highly probable. Yet this hatred did not keep Jesus from His call, because His identity lies in the heart of the Father and the Spirit of love they have for One Another!"

-Buddy Odom, "My Children"

Day 24.

Blessings,

-ao

40 days...preparatiom for triumph

Day 20

How do I view God?

Am I really willing to lay down my life?

Do I trust in Him..am I aware of myself, of what Christ is doing in and within me?

This is a journey of exploring my own heart....my own trust in God and his infinite love for me. A journey to walk in scripture and hope the Lord will reveal more of himself to me. A hope in what is to come. A hope in anticipation of the cross....dont run to it just yet. There is much to be considered beforehand. There is much in my heart I am in need of realizing and entrusting to God the Father. Perhaps you, too? Yes, maybe so.

Lord guide me. Show me my journey. Reveal my own heart and help me to hand It over to you daily. Where am I in your scriptures as you reveal your life and journey to the cross...show me.guide me.

An ever present source of help. An always-love. Jesus. I will follow you.

Blessings,

-ao