Reflection

It is Friday - Good Friday. Holy Friday. A somber day. Around the world worshipers pause to reflect on the wonder of a perfect life, without blemish and blameless, offered as the ultimate sacrifice for every imperfect life.

“Words cannot express the awe, magnitude and magnificence of all that is embraced in that single act. One day – thousands of years anticipated – thousands of years remembered.”

But one day of reflection (giving serious thought and consideration) is rendered meaningless unless it is followed by a life of reflection (Christ living and reflected in us).

Let our response be the same as Paul’s when he wrote to the Galations,

“My old identity has been co-crucified with Messiah and no longer lives; for the nails of his cross crucified me with him. And now the essence of this new life is no longer mine, for the Anointed One lives his life through me—we live in union as one! My new life is empowered by the faith of the Son of God who loves me so much that he gave himself for me, and dispenses his life into mine!”
(Galations 2:20 - TPT)

This is the Good News he wants the world to know,

“Living within you is the Christ who floods you with the expectation of glory! This mystery of Christ, embedded within us, becomes a heavenly treasure chest of hope filled with the riches of glory for his people, and God wants everyone to know it!” (Colossians 1:27 - TPT)

Jesus, help us to reflect you daily. May your Holy Spirit, the same Spirit which raised you from the dead and who now lives in us, empower us to love and live humbly and in unity with you and with others. We nail our pride, selfishness, hatred, jealousy and self-worship to the cross. Help us to follow your example,

“6 Who, being in very nature God,
    did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
    by taking the very nature of a servant,
    being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death—
        even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
    and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father. “
(Philippians 2:5-11 - NIV)

Amen.