What if someone ever truly saved your life, no doubt about it, literally saved your life when you had absolutely no hope of surviving? Maybe they even risked their own life in the process. Could you ever forget that happened? How would you feel about yourself if you went from that time of rescue to accomplish great results in your life? Could you ever forget to be humbled and grateful for the fact that someone else made all that possible?
I am reminded of this fact every day, every Lord’s Day, every time I take the Lord’s Supper, and every year at Easter. All of us should be reminded that without the sacrificial life and death of our Savior for the benefit of guilty and undeserving sinners that we would not be alive spiritually. We would still be dead in our trespasses and sins and would not have a life worth living. The gift of salvation brings eternal life that begins in this life. Our eternal life starts with our being born again by the Spirit of God, our receiving of Jesus Christ as He is presented in the Bible, and then the privileges that accompany salvation that start in this life and carry on to life eternal.
Once we are a new creation in Christ Jesus, then through Christ we inherit all the promises of God and have the Holy Spirit who convicts us of sin, enables us to read and understand the Bible, gives us the power to obey what we read, and enables us to pray. Thus, we have both the blessings of conversion and growth in Christ. So, as we experience the immediate benefits of Christ through our own conversion and the benefits throughout our life, we cannot help but feel humbled and grateful for Him. As we mull over our life in Christ, we cannot help but ask, Lord, where would we be if You had not moved into our life? What heartaches, failures, trouble, sins, and consequences of sin, bitterness, and depression has been avoided by our life in Christ? No one can accurately assess the blessings of Christ in this life. So, when we see the good results of the presence of Christ in our lives, we cannot help but repent.
Consider these words of repentance, “When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” (Luke 5:8).
All these words come from a grateful sinner to the overwhelming mercy of God. We are not, but we should be in the constant state of being overwhelmed in and with Christ. For sure, we will one day.
At Easter time, we cannot help but remember that someone did give His life to save our life and to totally change our quality of life. Real-life only starts with Jesus Christ. He who has the Son has life and he who does not have the Son does not have life. How can we not celebrate Easter Sunday every day for what day exists that does not equally emphasize the blessings of Christ in heavenly places to us? He is risen, indeed!
(Written by a Retired ARP Pastor who wanted to remain anonymous.)