On this "Good Friday" of Holy Week, how do we approach the holiest of all Christian days? Easter?
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The week began with views of flames coming from the most iconic house of worship on the planet.
How do we begin to process something so tragic?
Only a few short months ago Chandler and Brad were there standing amazed at its immensity, its beauty, its historic significance and it being a place of worship open to all humanity.
Reactions around the world were varied. Most were shocked and saddened and are now rallying with declarations of restoration.
How do we respond when we have "fires" in our lives?
How do we process these?
How do we deal with great disappointments, pain, confusion, loss?
How do we respond when we have "fires" in our lives?
How do we process these?
How do we deal with great disappointments, pain, confusion, loss?
So quickly we can go from this
to this.
How do we handle the challenges when all we see are ashes?
Ann Voscamp shared these words on her blog post
"In a world that can burn down around us, in the epidemic of our age, this search for identity, we have to Stay in the Story to stay rooted enough to stay standing.
"Exactly because we are wired to worship and to stay in the Story. "
There is a Story that survives fires!
That Story is THE CROSS!
On this Holy Good Friday, when our Lord was crucified by an angry mob, his followers and family experienced an unimaginable trial when their very faith and existence was going up in flames. They had gone from exaltation and jubilance; a time spent together in worship and praise; to a night of betrayal; and now to the face of death.
How did they deal with all that was tearing their world apart?
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| First Baptist Bossier City 2019 |
That Story is THE CROSS!
On this Holy Good Friday, when our Lord was crucified by an angry mob, his followers and family experienced an unimaginable trial when their very faith and existence was going up in flames. They had gone from exaltation and jubilance; a time spent together in worship and praise; to a night of betrayal; and now to the face of death.
How did they deal with all that was tearing their world apart?
They slept,
one fought back,
one denied Him,
some ran away fearful,
one sought to worship Him as only she knew how.
A mother wept!
One condemned Him, one asked for forgiveness.
Another stood in His place of release.
Are we any different?
We reject,
We are lackadaisical about our faith,
We question,
We do it on our own,
We are faithless,
We are lost!
We reject,
We are lackadaisical about our faith,
We question,
We do it on our own,
We are faithless,
We are lost!
We all stand in the need of forgiveness and redemption in order to be able to stand and come through the flames without the stench of smoke.
We have to Stay in the Story to stay rooted enough to stay standing.
We have to Stay in the Story to stay rooted enough to stay standing.
"The Story" is the only thing that survives the fires.
The Story is Jesus Christ!
We never need to say "Goodbye" to The Story!
Elizabeth, what a wonderful message of rising from the ashes. That video is one of the most powerful, I have ever watched. Thank you for sharing. It is only Friday. Thank God for Sunday.
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