Behold the Lamb who bears our sins away,
Slain for us: and we remember
The promise made that all who come in faith
Find forgiveness at the cross.
So we share in this Bread of life,
And we drink of His sacrifice,
As a sign of our bonds of peace
Around the table of the King.
The body of our Savior, Jesus Christ,
Torn for you: eat and remember
The wounds that heal, the death that brings us life,
Paid the price to make us one.
The blood that cleanses every stain of sin,
Shed for you: drink and remember
He drained death's cup that all may enter in
To receive the life of God.
And so with thankfulness and faith
We rise to respond: and to remember.
Our call to follow in the steps of Christ
As His body here on earth.
As we share in His suffering,
We proclaim: Christ will come again!
And we'll join in the feast of heaven
Around the table of the King.
We sang this song in church today. It's more a communion song, but we didn't have the Holy Communion today. Still I think it was very meaningful and parts of it made me cry.
I remember when The Passion of Christ just came out we cried buckets of tears over the crucifixion scene. I remember I cried primarily because such brutality was inflicted upon Christ because of my sins. I cried because of what He went through.
Today I cried because as always, I am reminded of His love for me and how miraculous, how undeserving, how powerful, that saving grace is. It's more than Christ just going through a brutal death so that we may live. It's so much more than that. Not just so that those who believe in Him passively escape hellfire into a safe place called heaven. No, if that is what you believe in you totally downplay the magnitude of your salvation.
If you're a believer you were saved unto justification, sanctification, and glorification. Men who before this hated God, and do not know Him; justified from the guilt of sin, sanctified to live a new life, and ultimately glorified with the ranks of being a 'child of God'. Absolute security, absolute love, absolute grace for each day, now and forever. No guilt in life, no fear in death. Freedom to escape condemnation from sin so that we may learn to live a life without sin. Security in knowing that God works all things for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28). Security in knowing we are loved with everlasting love, and nothing can move us from His love. All this done through the cross, so that whomsoever who believes, shall not perish (in sin), but have everlasting life.
How can the knowledge of this not change your life. How can this not just fill up your heart and your life and how can you not make knowing Him your priority after what He has done for you.
In the past two days, I've quietly listened through a series of conversations from someone I appreciate and respect that broke my heart. How do you respond to someone who has given up hope that he can be right with God again and that's the way it's going to stay? How do you encourage someone who has attempted to give up a vice for as long as a year, only to relapse into it again due to physical weakness (literally)? When serving in church is viewed as a burden because people 'pull you in' and you're obliged to do it again and again? When the main aim of working day in and day out is so that you get a decent pay and you improve your life and then what? Life is so short. Too short. And it's literally burning away.
The saddest thing is after hearing all this I don't know what to say. It's all and well to pull out Bible verses and say, "I can do all things in Christ who gives me strength." I believe in this, and it helps me, but will it help another who has given up in believing in this? Who has given up in depending on the Lord to saved him in saving him again? I do not know the right things to say and have only remained silent. Who am I to say I've been through the same struggles? I have not.
But thank God when words fail, I can still pray. And thank Him that when I don't understand - He does. And thank Him that although a man's love for God can fail, God's love for His chosen does not fail. It is an encouragement for me. And I still believe that there's room for grace even in what I think is a difficult situation for there is nothing too hard for God to overcome.
And I believe that even though I'm really bad at talking and encouraging people, I can do all things in Christ who gives me strength.
