Little did I know, how much I truly needed this bible study. Every night I would read my study and call my sister, Amy, and good friend, Allison MacLean and tell them with such excitement what all I had just read. I pretty much read them the study every night too. I felt like this study was written just for me and at the same time that I could have co written it. God knows exactly what we need, exactly when we need it, and he will ALWAYS provide it. I needed this bible study more than I realized. Even though the study ended a couple of weeks ago, I still find myself going back and rereading it.
Ever since my Dad passed away in 2011, Easter has become my favorite holiday to celebrate. Now that Madison has joined him, I literally can not wait until Easter this year. This is the holiday that we celebrate every thing we believe in and have put our faith in to. That the grave in not the end. That Madison and Dad have been healed, have a new body, a new home, that I have been redeemed, and that one day, hopefully soon, I will be joining them in the magnificent place called Heaven. They are not dead, but alive! Oh hallelujah! I just want to shout it from the roof tops! THEY ARE ALIVE!
The last chapter of this study is titled My Easter Sunday God. There is a quote in this chapter that really got me excited. Here it is:
It's Friday. Jesus is arrested in the garden where He was praying. But Sunday's coming.
It's Friday. The disciples are hiding and Peter's denying that he knows the Lord. But Sunday's coming.
It's Friday. Jesus is standing before the high priest of Israel, silent as a lamb before the slaughter. But Sunday's coming.
It's Friday. Jesus is beaten, mocked, and spit upon. But Sunday's coming...
And on that horrible day 2,000 years ago, Jesus the Christ, the Lord of glory, the only begotten Son of God, the only perfect man died on the cross of Calvary. Satan thought that he had won the victory...but that was Friday.
It's Sunday, and the crucified and resurrected Christ has defeated death, hell, sin, and the grave. It's Sunday. And now everything has changed. It's the age of grace, God's grace poured out on all who would look to that crucified lamb of Calvary. Grace freely given to all who would believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross of Calvary, was buried, and rose again. All because it's Sunday.
~E.V. Hill
I don't know about you but I get overwhelmed with emotion when I read these two passages. That Jesus loves me SO much that he died this horrible death for me. That I am forgiven of all my sins. And best of all, he rose from that grave and defeated death. That death will be no more! That I will live for eternity in the presence of my Savior forever with Madison and Dad. I am so unworthy of this love that is given to me.
I truly can't wait to celebrate Easter but more importantly, I look forward to the day that I am called home or that Jesus returns. Whichever happens first. I can't wait until Shane and I are in Heaven and everything I love the most are together again. I can't wait to see my sweet Savior's face and be with Madison and Dad, and all the loved ones who have gone before, again, for eternity.
Sunday's a-coming!!!!
