This will be a day of contrasts. The first is of intense joy. Our new church facility passed its final inspections just yesterday, and this evening we end three years as nomads and will worship in our new facility. We are thankful and rejoice.
But it is the day of Jesus’ sacrifice for us. It’s ironic that it is called “Good Friday,” unless we look at the fact that, as My Psalm puts it, “He Did It for Us.” The graphic reality of film tries to capture the cruel death Jesus suffered, and the travesty of betrayal, injustice, and the time when He felt the forsaken presence of God Himself as Jesus paid for our sins. When I think of the millions who consider today as just a time off work, or a spring holiday of bunnies and jellybeans, I think of their forsakenness by God for their unbelief in the Savior of the world. May our new ministry space see the salvation of many!
Here, then, is My Psalm, “He Did it for Us.”
MY PSALM 341 HE DID IT FOR US
Dear Heavenly Father, Provider of all good things,
Sustainer of Creation, Merciful to all, Abba, Father,
We glorify Your Name and thank You for Your Son, Jesus.
We celebrate this special week, this Holy Week
For in it, we recognize the immensity of Your sacrifice
To fulfill Your Covenant promise, “ I will be Your God.”
May we in worship and renewed lives fulfill our part,
“We will be Your people and live for Your Glory!”
We remember His humble beginnings on our behalf.
Born in a rustic place, scratchy straw his pillow,
Lowly animals his lullaby songs,
No sterile environment, doctors, and ultrasounds,
Not for the Son of God, our Savior.
We remember his earthly parents
Charged with the responsibility of raising Your Son
To live humbly, to appreciate the little things,
To see possibilities,
To reserve His power for important moments,
To strive for Holiness, to seek the poor and downtrodden,
To shun glory for Himself, to teach precepts by example,
To turn everyday things into parables of significance,
To choose His associates from among the humble
To speak in public places and influence leaders,
To spend precious time in prayer and thanksgiving,
To resist Satan’s temptations and the easy road to fame,
To give Himself away as the Perfect Sacrifice,
And to show us the way to Heaven
And the relationship we can enjoy with You.
We see His miracles, we read His story,
We imperfectly follow His example
To serve You in every circumstance
In humble submission to Your will.
Help us to remember the joy of our salvation
To pray often for those who are lost,
To serve those who need You most,
To set our priorities to align with Your will,
And to be worthy of Your grace
Given so freely yet at such a price.
We bow in Your Presence
By serving You in thanksliving
For loving us enough to send Your Son
Jesus to redeem, restore, and resurrect us
On that last day when we join You
In eternal praise and worship.
In Jesus’ Precious Name
And for Your Glory. Amen.
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