GOOD Friday

You know what? It IS a good Friday. And we have reason to rejoice. I just spoke to my dad on the phone and he encouraged me to celebrate OUR resurrection as believers on Sunday (Easter) as we celebrate the resurrection of Christ. The old things have passed away, and all things have become new.
I called my father because I am facing some serious fear right now. As some of you have heard, our house was broken into while we were gone on our ski trip. I am excited to post pics of the trip soon -- but, for now, this whole 'breaking and entering' thing has sort of overshadowed the ski trip.
When we arrived home from Colorado at 3am this morning, we found some 'evidence' on our dining room table that someone had been in our home. It was both alarming and disgusting. Because we were both physically exhausted, we checked out the house and locked everything up and went to bed. But when we got up and started cleaning up the wreckage from our trip, I noticed several things that were out of place...and began to feel very violated and fearful. We called the police here in Eldorado and they now have DNA evidence of the person who broke in. It will take a couple months to get the results. But we feel confident that they are doing the best job they can do to take care of and protect us.

Even more than that, I'm confident that the Lord is our shield. Psalm 4:8 has flooded my thoughts when the fear begins to rise up in me:
"In quietness and peace I will both lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety."

I spoke to my dad about my fears -- and between him and Sylas, I feel secure this evening. They have pointed me to the Cross and assured me of my security in Christ. It is for that reason that I am asking the Lord to help me forgive the person who invaded our home and invaded my personal privacy and belongings. Perhaps some day I will have the opportunity to share the gospel with them and offer them the forgiveness that only Christ offers through His death and resurrection that are so close to our hearts this time of year -- and should be each day. It's so comforting to me that His mercy is new every morning, that His lovingkindnesses never fail, and that we were crucified with Him and raised from the dead...well, I can't say it any better than Romans 6:
Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.

So let's celebrate resurrection day together -- our resurrection in Christ that will one day unite us all eternally as we worship Him together!! This Friday is GOOD because we remember that our sin was put to death on the Cross -- that there is 'newness of life' -- that we are no longer slaves of sin!!

I promise to post pics soon. Please pray that I do not succumb to a spirit of fear, but rather pursue wisdom and a deeper faith in the Lord's sovereign plan for our lives. We know that suffering is inevitable and our pain is temporary. We trust that our salvation can never be violated and I will rest in that tonight.