Someone Worth Dying For - Easter Message

I found this great worship song that asks Jesus the question, “Am I someone worth dying for?” Sometimes I look at my life and see how I still mess up every day. I lose my temper, make rash judgments, struggle with selfishness, pride, read my romance novels, enjoy secular movies, and over indulge in my weaknesses (yep, they're mine and it's between me and God).  Need I go on?  And I wonder, “God, was I someone worth sending your Son to die for?”

God’s love for us is beyond what our human minds and hearts can comprehend. We, as limited humans, love conditionally.  I’ll love you if you love me first. I’ll love you if you don’t let me down. I’ll love you if you give me what I want.  God loves unconditionally.  He says, “I love you even if you never love Me back. I love you even if you never do anything for Me.  I loved you first before you ever loved Me.” (1 John 4:18-19)

I have wanted to write an Easter devotion but I've been struggling because I have never felt so unworthy of writing a devotion before.  How can a mere sinful human describe the price paid by our Savior in a manner worthy of Him.  John the Baptist described this sentiment perfectly when he said of Jesus, “I’m not even worthy to stoop down like a slave and untie the straps of his sandals.” Mark 1:7 (NLT) That’s exactly how I feel writing about Jesus sometimes.

I love the Apostle Paul because he admitted, “What I don’t understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then act another, doing things I absolutely despise…I realize that I don’t have what it takes. I can will it, but I don’t do it. I decide to do good, but I don’t really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyways…It happens so regularly that it’s predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up.  I truly delight in God’s commands, but it’s pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight.  Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge. I’ve tried everything and nothing helps…Is there no one who can do anything for me? The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. ” Romans 7:14-25 (MSG)

Paul knew the answer to our sinful nature was the sacrifice Jesus Christ paid on the cross on Good Friday.   In Isaiah, 49:16, God says of Jerusalem, “I have written your name on the palm of my hand.” Because God adopted us as His sons and daughters, we also get the promise He gave Jerusalem.  He has written our names on the palms of His hands. Some of the Bible translations say “engraved” or “etched” your name.  This implies using a sharp object to write with.  I envision this scripture coming to life when Jesus’ hands were nailed to the cross, He engraved our names.  Engraving implies permanent. Our names have been permanently written on His palms and He will not forget us.

God says we are someone worth dying for. We don’t have to try and earn His love because nothing we do would ever be sufficient.  All He desires is that we believe in His Son, Jesus Christ (Romans 10:9-10), and love Him with all our heart, soul, and mind (Matthew 22:36-37). When we put our faith in God's Son, Jesus, not only do we get our sins forgiven but we never have to fear dying.  Jesus conquered death on the cross and on that Sunday, over 2000 years ago, He rose from the tomb and now sits in Heaven preparing a place for us (John 14:2).

Romans 10:9-10 (AMP)

Because if you acknowledge and confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and in your heart believe (adhere to, trust in, and rely on the truth) that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 

For with the heart a person believes (adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Christ) and so is justified (declared righteous, acceptable to God), and with the mouth he confesses (declares openly and speaks out freely his faith) and confirms [his] salvation.

John 14:2 (NIV)

In my Father’s house there are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.  

So this Easter, I am going to stop worrying about whether I feel worthy or not.  Because the fact of the matter is, God has made me worthy by covering my sinful nature with the righteous blood of Jesus Christ. I am going to remember His sacrifice of love and I am going to rejoice in His gift of eternal life.  If you are wondering if God thinks you are someone worth dying for because you have made mistakes or have junk in your life, pray this prayer with me:

God, thank you for sending your Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for my sins.
Thank you for loving me unconditionally and believing I'm someone worth dying for.
Forgive me of the sins in my life.
Please reside in my heart and fill me completely with the love and power of Your Holy Spirit. Guide and direct all my ways.
I pray this in the name of Your Son, Jesus.
Amen.

You are now an adopted child of God, co-heirs with Jesus Christ. I can't wait to meet you in Heaven. 

Happy Easter
Love,
Yolanda

1 John 4:17-19 (MSG)

God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that we’re free of worry on Judgment Day—our standing in the world is identical with Christ’s. There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life—fear of death, fear of judgment—is one not yet fully formed in love. 

We, though, are going to love—love and be loved. First we were loved, now we love. He loved us first.