We attended our Good Friday service this morning (& were 20 minutes late!!) I thought that the service started at 9:30, but it was actually at nine. I was really disappointed because this service is usually on of my favourites of the year. It's a community service at our Rec Centre with five churches participating.
We got to sing one song and then sat down. I had to pray that God would change my attitude because I was so diappointed in being late and I didn't want it to bother me throughout the whole service. I prayed that He would be glorified.
And. He. Was.
They played this song after the sermon and a group of people came up holding signs that said things like "insecure" and then they stepped across to the cross on the stage and put the sign down on a table behind it and picked it up again, but flipped it around to show us the other side: "secure in Christ."
Other examples were:
"Father's suicide" to "Heavenly Father's love"
"Worry" to "Trusting Him"
"Chasing drugs and alcohol" to "Chasing Him"
"Adultery" to "Forgiven"
A child had one that said: "Autism, cancer" to "Jesus loves me this I know".
And tears just started streaming down my face as more than twenty people made themselves so completely vunerable in front of this large crowd of people, in order to testify to the work that God had done in their lives. Austin asked me why people were crying and clapping. I said: "Because it's just so amazing what God can do!"
Amazing.
I was trying to think what my sign would be. And I came up with this:
"Never good enough" to "Accepted by Jesus."
:)
I'm so thankful for the sacrifice that Jesus made years ago for us on the cross on Calvary. I'm thankful that He took my place to pay the punishment for my sins. I'm thankful for the forgiveness that I receive when I bring my sins to Jesus. And I'm also so thankful for the work that he is doing in my life: the healing, the working at changing my character, making me into the woman He desires me to be.
I hope that you are enjoying this Easter weekend. We are having supper with Cameron's family tonight and are spending Sunday with my mom, after church.
(It is also my day to post on the Inspired Scrapper's site today. Click here if you'd like to see the layout that I made for Challenge #15.)
I've got tears starting in my eyes, Leigh... thanks so much for sharing that wonderful part of the service. Have a great Easter weekend!
ReplyDeleteHappy Easter! Love that layout.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for sharing this! I have felt like a nomad in search of a church home for a while. Long story that involves a long distance relationship. My fiancee and I are anxious to settle into a church family, but we have several obstacles to work through first. We have a church we attend in each of our hometowns, but we are always going back and forth. What you described is what our services used to always be like at my old church...I miss it so much. Wishing you a blessed and happy Easter!
ReplyDeleteThe service sounded wonderful! I had to lol when you said that you had to pray to God to change your attitude for your disappointment in being late to the service! That sounds just like me, lol!
ReplyDeleteThe service sounded wonderful... and it had to have been emotional and powerful. But you are correct in saying that it is indeed amazing what God can do!
All praise to Him in this HOPEFUL season!
Blessings to you and your family and Happy Easter, Leigh!
have a wonderful holiday, leigh!
ReplyDeleteOMGoodness Leigh. What a wonderful post!!
ReplyDeleteEaster blessings to you and your family!
Oh gosh, that make me tear up, Leigh. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteLeigh, you are so awesome. Isn't it just amazing that we aren't good enough but He loves us anyway? And because we are not good enough, He bore our sins so that we could become cleansed; white as snow. Good enough.
ReplyDeleteYour post totally brought tears to my eyes. LOVE that song. Love the illustration that was brought forth in your service. So glad you made it and were able to share it with me and others. Thank you!
Have a very special and very blessed Easter my friend!!
Hugs,
Julie
Great post Leigh..so powerful. tfs.
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