Happy Easter

Luke 24:1-8 

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” Then they remembered his words. 

He is risen!!  He is risen indeed!!

Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.

1 Corinthians 15: 55-57

“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” 

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.

Casting Stones

Judging.  We all do it.  Don't we?  Or maybe it's just me...

But I'm not as obvious about it.  I don't go around pointing out people's flaws.  For me it's more of a, "God, why is that person seeming to thrive when they act like such and such when we struggle so and we've done nothing wrong?"  

Or, "Have you seen how their kids act, Lord?  I may be a slob, but at least my children know how to behave in public."

And since I'm not as obvious about it, it's not as bad . . . right . . .

That was basically the conversation I was having with God today, mostly focused on topic number one when I heard Him say, "Are you casting your stones, Tina?"

I rolled my eyes at God 

(I promise; I think we have the relationship of Him the ever patient, long-suffering father and me the obnoxious, smart-aleck teenager.  I'm just trusting that since He created me and He knows my inner most being that He also has a sense of humor about these things.  But I digress)

Heavy sigh, I get it.  No one is righteous, no not one. (Romans 3:10), All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23)

Let he who is WITHOUT SIN, CAST THE FIRST STONE.  (John 8:7 - rough translation)

I mentally put down my stone.  I'm not better.  My sins are just different.  My life and my calling and my path are just different.  What gives me the right to question any of it?

Then tonight at the drive-thru on the way home from Awana, there was clearly something weird going on between the clerk and the car in front of us.  And the transaction was taking FOREVER!  (or at least 5 minutes)  And my 10 year old daughter started in with, "What is her problem?  Can't she just get out of her car and go inside already?  Doesn't she know that there are people behind her that are hungry?  She obviously doesn't care.  And those clerks, they ought to at least tell her to move.  Good grief!"

I smiled up at God, closed my eyes, leaned back and said, "Sarah, are you casting stones?"

And God, as He so often does, took the stones out of my hands and placed them on the ground to continue the work of building His foundation in my children.  I am merely a go-between.