The Power of the Cross
“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” (1 Cor. 15:55)
I'd like to share a little story. A little story that actually took place a week ago. My Dad had just passed away and my wife and I were taking a walk around the grounds of the beautiful country motel at which we were staying. It was the night before his memorial service. You can imagine the emotions - the sadness of losing a loved one; the poignancy of being back in the small town where I grew up; that realization that we are all mortal. We were enjoying the smell of the fresh air, the sound of the water gently running through the winding creek and looking at some flowers that we don't usually see...
"The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Cor. 15:56-57)
Then my wife saw it. There, seemingly "hiding" underneath a flower that was hanging down, was the most amazing moth I have ever seen...
At a time when we really needed to know that God was close... That His promises were true... He presents us with this! How amazing is our God that He not only creates such a thing, but He arranges for us to find it in our time of need! (For the record, we didn't realize until later the way the cross on my wife's bracelet was positioned as she held the flower for the photo.) All at once we were reminded that Jesus conquered death when he was on the cross and paid our sin debt in full with his life. The comfort and peace that this humble little moth brought to us was unspeakable.
"Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." (1 Cor. 15:58)
So, what does this have to do with the unfiltered life for God, you ask? I think it all relates to the final verse above. Because of the victory that Jesus gave us on the cross, we should be deterred by nothing in doing His will. We should let nothing keep us from being obedient to Him, from answering His call and from doing those things that he asks us to do.
So what about you? What would you start doing today if you knew... if you truly believed... that "your labor would not be in vain"? Start doing it! Because it isn't in vain. "Let nothing move you!" If God can show off through the pattern on a moth's back, how much more could he do in and through your life of obedience to Him?
I'd like to share a little story. A little story that actually took place a week ago. My Dad had just passed away and my wife and I were taking a walk around the grounds of the beautiful country motel at which we were staying. It was the night before his memorial service. You can imagine the emotions - the sadness of losing a loved one; the poignancy of being back in the small town where I grew up; that realization that we are all mortal. We were enjoying the smell of the fresh air, the sound of the water gently running through the winding creek and looking at some flowers that we don't usually see...
"The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Cor. 15:56-57)
Then my wife saw it. There, seemingly "hiding" underneath a flower that was hanging down, was the most amazing moth I have ever seen...
At a time when we really needed to know that God was close... That His promises were true... He presents us with this! How amazing is our God that He not only creates such a thing, but He arranges for us to find it in our time of need! (For the record, we didn't realize until later the way the cross on my wife's bracelet was positioned as she held the flower for the photo.) All at once we were reminded that Jesus conquered death when he was on the cross and paid our sin debt in full with his life. The comfort and peace that this humble little moth brought to us was unspeakable.
"Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." (1 Cor. 15:58)
So, what does this have to do with the unfiltered life for God, you ask? I think it all relates to the final verse above. Because of the victory that Jesus gave us on the cross, we should be deterred by nothing in doing His will. We should let nothing keep us from being obedient to Him, from answering His call and from doing those things that he asks us to do.
So what about you? What would you start doing today if you knew... if you truly believed... that "your labor would not be in vain"? Start doing it! Because it isn't in vain. "Let nothing move you!" If God can show off through the pattern on a moth's back, how much more could he do in and through your life of obedience to Him?
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