Easter Sunday March 27

The Good News of Freedom! - Matthew 28:7 (NIV)

“Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead’ . . . “

“I was like a ball of twine, all wound up to the point of physical pain.  I had so many emotional secrets I hid behind the mask that everything was ok … but through (teaching and group work), the ball has started to unravel to God’s freedom”.  Another person said, “I could literally hear the chains pop” in explaining her inner sense of freedom.

Holy Saturday March 26

One Hour - Mark 14:37 (NIV)

 "Then [Jesus] returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Simon,” he said to Peter, “are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour?"

I have lunch with the elders of our community on a weekly basis.  On this particular day, I sat near an elder who began to admit his shortcomings to me.  He knew the Law of God quite well, and in a way, he had been and still was convicted by it. 

Good Friday March 25

The Thief on the Cross - Luke 23:43 (NIV)

"…Today you will be with me in paradise.”

People respond to the sufferings they endure in life in different ways.

Some blame, even curse God for their circumstances much like the unrepentant thief. Others, like the repentant criminal, acknowledge that they are sinners deserving of their fate and look to Jesus for forgiveness. We see this in the way the repentant thief acknowledged to his partner in crime, “We deserve what we are getting.” Those who would be saved know they are sinners in need of God’s grace.

Wednesday March 23

Still “Thee Light House” - Psalm 27:1 (NIV)

“The Lord is My Light and my salvation --- whom shall I fear?”

High above Lake Superior at almost ten thousand feet the view was spectacular.  Far below we could see a big freighter pushing its way toward the harbor at Duluth.  We had just circled the Apostle Islands at lower altitudes and were in wonder of God's beauty.