Psalm 119 was written as an alphabetic acrostic.  In essence it is a prayer based in and upon the promises, statutes, laws and commandment of God.  I've decided to read it letter by letter, letting the Holy Spirit speak to me about each section.  So little by little I will be adding my thoughts one letter at time, one blog at a time.  

What immediately stuck out to me was that the law of Moses was ll that David had of scripture.  The new testament, psalms, and most of the prophetic writings had not even been composed yet!  In a church culture that, for the most part, ignores, devalues, and even rejects "the law", as works, in it David found the revelation of God, His love, His perfection and His Messiah.  While we all glorify David's heart and relationship with God, wishing to model and experience what he had with God, we poo-poo the very words that too him to that spiritual level.  How stupid we are.  Until the New Testament was written, the Apostles preached Christ from the Old Testament.  Did not Jesus Himself, after the resurrection reveal Himself to the disciples walking on the road using the law?  

As a saint of God I believe and accept that ALL the Word is GOOD.  Jesus and His word are one.  To love Christ is to love His Word-ALL OF IT!  May the Spirit of God speak to my heart through this Psalm!

5 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. 4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.


We know we love God when we joyfully delight in obedience.  We love Him because we know Him.  We know Him because our love for God comes from the love that God Himself has shed abroad in our hearts which is then practically lived out through a joyful obedience.  When we know God enough to love Him, it is no burden to obey Him because we know that all of His commands, statutes, and laws are for our good and for the prospering of our mind, body and soul. 

Today is Resurrection Sunday, the high holiday of the Christian faith.      Some call it Easter, but Easter is pagan in it's origin.  It's truly not about the bunny, the eggs, new life, or pretty pastels.  It is a celebration of POWER, specifically the power of the Holy Spirit that overcame the power of death and brought human flesh back to life after three days in the grave.  It's a celebration of faith and hope.  It is a celebration of the culmination of the great plan of God concerning His creation and mankind through all of history, the pinnacle point of all known  time.

Imagine, the culmination of everything through all time past, present and future takes place in a 3 day span from the cross to the empty tomb.  Central to it all is Christ.  

It amazes me that even before God created man, He knew that we would fall.  Even before he picked up that first handful of  clay that would become Adam, he knew that redeeming this creation would cost Him His most precious Son, the spotless one reigning with Him in glory.  Knowing full well the problem and and the cure, God created us anyway.  God is love.  Love is only defined and known  through it's expression.  Redemption is the highest, most convincing proof that God could provide of the vast extent of His loving nature.  It is the clear picture of perfect love.  What else could God do, what else could He give to prove His love for us than offering up His own son to redeem us back to Himself even before He created us?  Even in His foreknowledge He chose to let it be so that we would know assuredly of the great love that He has for us.  

And with the crucifixion and Resurrection of His Son, who became God in human flesh, He forever sealed the covenant.  It can never be altered.  It can never be changed.  It is forever established and settled in heaven.  

Now THAT is reason to celebrate!

  

This morning as I got ready for church I wondered about all the people who attend church on Easter Sunday.  Easter service is the most attended service of the year in America.  You see, Easter Sunday, or Resurrection Sunday, as I prefer to call it, is the high holiday of the Christian year. 

What I thought sad was that so many go to church to celebrate an event that they have never really experienced.  Many sit in church with the head knowledge of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ but they are missing the whole point of it-the power of it!  Unless that same resurrection power lives in you, it's of little value which is why many resort to bunnies, eggs, candy, fancy clothes and surprise baskets.  

Celebrating Resurrection Sunday without being born again is like admiring candy without ever tasting it.  It's like receiving a present without ever opening it.  It's like saying that you love someone without ever meeting them in person.  It makes no sense!  It's celebrating for the sake of celebrating which is, at best, as hollow as a chocolate Easter bunny.  

As I enter God's house today, I can truly celebrate!  I have been saved from sin by the power of Christ!  I have been forgiven, declared righteous in God's sight.  My sin has been been washed and cleansed.  I am clean!  I have been adopted into God's family and all the heritage and inheritance of Christ is now mine as well.  I have a hope, a future, and a present that is blessed!  I have a residing power within that helps me live holy, that gives me wisdom, comfort, strength and abiding joy!  

That is something to celebrate!