April 2nd: More Than A Holiday, A Love Story

We need to remember He’s no longer on the cross or in the tomb!

Annual celebrations can become redundant, ritualistic, emotionless moments that we check off our task list as a completed project rather than its intended reason to remember. We mark things on a calendar because we want to remember. We have national holidays as an opportunity to gather around a day symbolically to remember, to commune, to learn or to simply celebrate.

Let us remember what God did, how Jesus hung there for us, was bruised, beaten and humiliated for our sins as He hung there sinless and blameless as we approach Resurrection Sunday.

We also need to remember He’s no longer on the cross or in the tomb! Praise the Lord! He has RISEN! He is ALIVE! He is preparing a place for you in eternity until His triumphant return. The last supper was intended to help His disciples, the ones that followed Him then and the ones that follow Him now, remember:

• to serve John 13:1 the washing of their feet was an expression of “eis telos” Greek word for love without limits
• to be an example of our faith in action and in attitude John 13:2-10 the whole foot washing experience was symbolic of the spiritual cleansing and serving one another regardless of, title or position. Christ having the highest position possible put into action how to act as well as the attitude of humility
• to fulfill prophecy from previous scripture known as the new commandment John 13:34-35 God had prepared for this moment from before the fall of Adam and Eve. God never gave up on His beloved creation, that’s you and that’s me.
• to be aware of satan’s influence while we are here waiting, serving and believing; remember there are still ones that will reject, betray, lie, steal and harden their hearts to Jesus. John 13: 27
• to remember we have a purpose and God’s plan is the same yesterday, today and forever. Though the commandment to love is not new the Hebrew word here is “kainen” meaning to be fresh, vibrantly new. The call hasn’t changed on our lives but sometimes we need fresh eyes to see it. John 13:34-35

All of this to say that the greatest love story ever written is you. You were created by the uncreated one that created everything. But you, sweet one, were created to be loved by Him.

³⁴ So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. ³⁵ Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” John 13:34-35

written by: Kelliann Howard