Friday Writing by Karen Bennett......4/14/17

Good Morning,

"Lamb Without Blemish" is the title of today's writing by Karen Bennett. It is a timely choice of topic since today is Good Friday. We all know that what was heartbreaking for us was all of God's plan. It had to be as it was, and all of it had its precursor in the Old Testament. The unblemished Lamb was the sacrifice in Passover...and on...and on...and on.

Karen wrote, "Beloved Lamb without blemish, You said, "It is finished", and we became Yours forever. One day we will be able to gaze into Your beautiful face and thank You. We will be able to sing Your praises for all eternity! Worthy is the Lamb!"

As you process the events that we remember of Good Friday...remember that the horror was necessary for us to be able spend eternity with our Creator.

God bless,

Karen & Corinne

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Today's Devotional 

"Lamb Without Blemish" 

   

Good Friday - the day the earthly life of Christ came to an end. People who had been cheering Him and placing palm branches on the road before Him during His triumphant entry into Jerusalem just days before we're now screaming for His death. Shouts of, "Crucify Him, crucify Him", were heard, as well as others jeers.

   

His sorrow and agony began the night before, after He instituted the Lord's Supper with His disciples. He began feeling the heavy burden that was before Him and felt the need to pray. He went to the Garden of Gethsemane with His disciples to do so. His soul became sorrowful unto death and He sweat drops of blood in that                                                                 pain.

   It was in that garden of gnarled old olive trees that He was betrayed by Judas, one of His own disciples. That led to His arrest. Throughout the night, Peter, another disciple, denied Him three times.

   Betrayed! Denied! Mocked! Humiliated! Spat on! Beaten mercilessly! Wearing a crown of thorns that had been forced on His head! Stripped of His clothing! The horror of all that was still not enough. The worst agony  was yet to come.

   He was nailed to a cross, yet He prayed for others. "The Lamb of God who takes away

the sin of the world," ( John 1:29 ) hung from that tree with a love filled heart that did not complain. He went quietly to that agonizing death. And then He suffered the total separation from His beloved Father, as God turned from Him. He was the perfect sacrifice, "the Lamb without blemish or defect." 1 Peter 1:18-19. 

He had to be perfect, because we aren't, and, "He was chosen before the creation of the world ---", 1 Peter 1:20, to be the one and complete sacrifice for our redemption.

   Our debts are paid in full by the blood of the Lamb, innocent blood, unlike ours. He was perfect, without sin, but He became sin for us. That innocent blood is what God sees when He looks at us.

   He suffered hell and total separation from His beloved Father from all eternity so that we would never have to cry out as He did."My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" Matthew 27:46b. God's love is ours for all eternity, because He sent His Son to cleanse our unrighteousness.

   

Beloved Lamb without blemish, You said, "It is finished", and we became Yours forever. One day we will be able to gaze into Your beautiful face and thank You. We will be able to sing Your praises for all eternity! Worthy is the Lamb!

   Dear Lord,

         Mere words can never express our gratitude for Your most wonderful gift of salvation for all believers. It gives us peace and comfort in this temporal life knowing eternity with You lies ahead. There will be no pain, no tears, just joy beyond anything we've ever known. Oh, how we look forward to that day! We praise Your name forever. Amen.

Kari Jobe

sings

"Revelation Song"

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Here is an uplifting graphic

for you to think about.

The Creed says,

He ascended into heaven
and was seated at the right hand of the Father

He will come again in glory

to judge the living and the dead

and His kingdom will have no end

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Prayers are lifted up daily for 

you by the Devotional Writers 

and the Monthly Writing Staff

of Women's Focus Ministries.

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