journey onWord with us

Special thanks are due to a dear friend and partner at Journey on Word, Mark Robb, for sharing his Passion Week experiences with us. Writing daily articles is a monumental task, and Mark did it well as he opened up himself, and shared great truths that culminated with Christ’s death and resurrection. He is Risen!  For all Christ-followers, the ramifications of Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday are much more than just nice holidays. They gave us our birthright.  However as we head back to work and the normal routines of life, it is certainly easy to minimize the significance of what that birthright means to us. It’s Monday, so what now?

It must have been life-changing as the disciples met with Christ after His resurrection. He showed care for “doubting Thomas” and restored Peter. He also commissioned the disciples to go and make more disciples. Their lives were not to be about self, but about others. Centuries later, we can all be grateful for how they responded. We have no less obligation to be conduits of His love and grace in our 21^st century, fast-paced, technologically driven world. The hope of the resurrection still matters! Wherever this post finds you today, look around and view your opportunity to care for others … all because He Lives in you. It’s Monday, so what now?

Once, while doing some personal reading, I read an unforgettable quote by Soren Kierkegaard. His words resonate with me as I think of living out the hope of my birthright. “Now, by God’s help, I shall become myself.”  Don’t we all want to be the “me” that God designed us to be? Living out His design will always involve others, just as it did for the disciples. In thinking of this quote, I can’t help but think of Peter. Dramatic failure must have haunted him as Christ hung on the cross. But the resurrected Lord restored him, and sent him out to serve. Eventually he died, having been used of God mightily. Undoubtedly he still made blunders and failed the Lord at times, but in view of Scripture it seems that Peter progressed in being the “me” that God designed for Him to be. It’s Monday, so what now?

All Christ-followers need to reflect our birthright. It came by way of the cross and His miraculous resurrection.  Just like Peter, we can be effective in showing others hope and peace through Christ. A few days each year the world turns to a cross and an empty tomb, but daily we can live out its implications. Certainly we need to be appropriate, but never silent about our most important relationship … with Christ! Being the “me” that God has designed us to be won’t look just like Peter, but it will reflect the attributes of Christ. It’s Monday, so what now?

Next year, churches will again gather around the world and celebrate Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday. From now until then, you and I have the privilege of living out the truth that He is Alive! It is our birthright! Who on your journey is in need of hope and peace? Your birthright has provided you what they need; be who God designed you to be by sharing it.

Good Friday … Resurrection Sunday … It’s Monday, so what now?