Hallelujah!

We live in a broken world.  All around us we see those we care about going through sickness and pain, death and sorrow, wrongs and injustices.  We ourselves experience it as well. 

There’s no way around it: life is hard.  No matter how closely we walk with God and love Him, there will be bumps along the way that will threaten to shake our faith.  Or when we see those around us feeling the effects of this sin-cursed world, we wonder if there will ever be an end to it all. 

I’m thankful that we can know the end of it all and that we don’t have to be overcome by the storms of life.  I’m thankful that there is more to life than merely this life, for it is the hope of what is to come that gives us strength to press on. 

I’m thankful that we can celebrate Christ’s death and resurrection.  If Christ hadn’t died and risen again, we really would be living in a dark and hopeless world—the pain and suffering, sickness and death, injustices and wrongs that we experience would be so much worse.

There’s so much linked to Jesus’ death:
- Through Jesus’ death, we have the righteousness of Christ freely given to us so we can stand before the Father. 
- Through Jesus’ death, we now have peace with God, whereas before we were His enemies.
- Through Jesus’ death, we are saved from the wrath that is to come.
- Through Jesus’ death, the Law has been perfectly fulfilled.
- Through Jesus’ death, we too have died to the power of sin.
- Through Jesus’ death, salvation is offered as a free gift to all who believe. 
- Through Jesus’ death, we have been forgiven of our sins.
- Through Jesus’ death, we also have an inheritance as heirs and adopted children of God. 

And this is only a short list of those blessings directly related to Christ’s death.

Christ’s resurrection gives us even more blessings and hope to cling to:
- Because of the resurrection, we too have been raised up into a new life that is to be lived unto God.
- Because of the resurrection, we can walk in the Spirit that abides in us and has given us new life.
- Because of the resurrection, we can be certain of a resurrection that is yet to come.
- Because of the resurrection, we have a sure faith.
- Because of the resurrection, we are no longer in our sins—we have been justified!
- Because of the resurrection, we have a great hope unlike any other hope.
- Because of the resurrection, we know that one day our bodies will be changed into that which is incorruptible and spiritual.

Hallelujah for a Risen Savior who died and rose to give us Life!  All glory be to Him!