Categories
Easter

Spring Reflections

Spring is springing across the land. Robins have landed in my backyard and gophers are chasing each other in fields everywhere. There is open running water, and the geese are moving away from their flocks and are separating into pairs.

This is the time of year for rebirth. A time when everything is fresh and new, and the dull dreariness of winter slowly fades into distant memory. Leaves bud and plants gradually appear out of the earth and fill us with the reminder of life, yet again, with their bright colours and fragrances.

How fitting that our Saviour chose this season to pay the price. How fitting that He chose Spring to die and then be resurrected so that we could have new life. How marvelous is the God who planned the whole thing! Not only His redemptive plan, but the timing of it could not be more poetic.

Everyone that I know, saved and unsaved alike, views Spring as a time of birth and regeneration. You can not help but think about a Creator in the midst of the explosions of life that are happening all around us.

As we contemplate the season of Spring and come into a place of total awe at how wonderful it is to smell the first rain as it washes the winter wasteland clean, it is an easy transition to ponder the wonder of how our Saviour is like that first Spring rain. His blood washes away the wasteland of sin in our lives.

While the rest of the world celebrates with Easter eggs, chocolate, and bunnies; there is a depth to the Christian celebration that gets missed by those outside.

I have had conversations with people who think that it is the weirdest thing to celebrate so horribly gruesome a death. I celebrate not the death, but the life. Yes, He died, but that is not the end of the story. Because of His death so long ago, I have life everlasting! That is reason enough to celebrate!

“The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

1 Corinthians 1:18

Miranda Himmelspeck is ACOP’s bookkeeper and has been for the last 17 years!

Around the office, Miranda can be seen drinking coffee in one of her fancy custom mugs (which she creates—*talent*).

Miranda and her husband Kevin live in Calgary with their pup named Max—whose crazy antics keep their walks interesting. (Featured on Facebook if you’re curious.)

She attends High River Full Gospel Church and is an active part of their community.

Categories
Easter

Easter in One Sentence

Spring is a beautiful season, the sun draws closer to our earth, snow melts, green begins to show, and the long winter days are soon forgotten.

There are tulips of every colour begging to be added to the center of your Easter table and the Easter bunny can be seen around every corner.

But it’s not the Easter bunny you’re looking for—you came here for one sentence…

Father God, full of love, gave His Son to be the sin offering for us—a Son both God and man that died a sinners death on the cross so that you and I could live a life free of guilt and shame—a life made right with Father God.

The Bible—God’s very own inspiration contains important scriptures in the New Testament that verify the sentence above…

“For God made the only one who did not know sin to become sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God through our union with Him.”

2 Corinthians 5:21 TPT

And these verses…

“But Christ proved God’s passionate love for us by dying in our place while we were still lost and ungodly! So if while we were still enemies, God fully reconciled us to Himself through the death of His Son, then something greater than friendship is ours. Now that we are at peace with God, and because we share in His resurrection life, how much more we will be rescued from sin’s dominion! And even more than that, we overflow with triumphant joy in our new relationship of living reconciled to God—all because of Jesus Christ!”

Romans 5:8,10,11 TPT

Jesus was made sin; NOT a sinner, but the sacrifice for sin—why?

A beautiful, divine exchange happened on the cross, the Son of God who knew no sin, became sin, and we who have no righteousness on our own…

So that we might become the righteousness of God.

Regular people like you and me carry the righteousness of God! Oh, what a trade that ended in our favour—something greater than friendship is ours…

  • I am chosen—Ephesians 1:4
  • I am His Handiwork— Ephesians 2:10
  • I am blessed with every spiritual blessing—Ephesians 1:3
  • I am forgiven—Ephesians 1:7
  • I am promised peace in my heart and mind—Philippians 4:7
  • I am complete—Colossians 2:10
  • I find rest in Him—Hebrews 4:9
  • When I am weak, I am strong—2 Corinthians 12:10
  • I am loved—Galatians 2:20

God speaks to the core of who we are—you are exactly what He wants, you are the reason He came and died, and you are His great love! So let’s soak up the joy of this season, and renew our Hope!

“Who delivered up Jesus to die? Not Judas, for money; nor Pilate, for fear; not the Jews, for envy—but the Father, for love!”

Octavius Winslow

Easter in one word?

Love.

P.S. You just might enjoy this 4-day devotional Easter Hope!

We would like to thank Words of Hope for providing this plan. For more information, please visit: https://www.woh.org/resources/youversion/