The Reality of This Day

I grew up in San Jose, CA and I’ve gone to big churches most of my life. That means I have been to many Easter productions where “Jesus” actually walks right by your pew, dragging a cross, dripping fake blood. When he finally reaches the platform, they lay him out on the cross and –one of the worst parts ever—they clang the nails “into” his hands. Every blow is so horrific. I can barely take it, even though I know it’s not real—because I know it was real.

Jesus had been up all night, forcibly taken by soldiers from the Garden of Gethsemane the evening prior. He had been brought before the Jewish Sanhedrin, the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, and the Jewish ruler of Galilee, King Herod. It was a long night.

The Death of God’s Son

Although Pilate found no guilt in Jesus, the Jewish leaders requested he be handed over for crucifixion for claiming to be the Son of God. Yes, Jesus had been telling the people He was God’s Son and He told them over and over that He was speaking the truth.

Jesus’ death bore witness. He was on the cross six hours and darkness covered the land for the last three. When He cried out in a loud voice and gave up His spirit, there was an earthquake, tombs broke open and the veil in the temple was torn from top to bottom. The Roman centurion, terrified, said, “Surely he was the Son of God!”

The Veil of God’s Presence

The veil in the temple was torn from top to bottom. That is one of my favorite demonstrations of God’s power and plan. The veil that separated us from God was torn—from top to bottom. God Himself tore down that veil and now we are allowed access to the very Presence of God because of the blood of Jesus.

What a privilege. What an honor. There are hardly words to convey what Jesus purchased for us that day. His blood covers all our sins. We can now go into the Holy of Holies, covered by the blood of Jesus and we can converse with God. We can daily speak with Him. We can have a living relationship with Him that will last forever.

The Goodness of This Friday

On this day, we pause and remember. We must remember the sacrifice Jesus made, the terrible pain He suffered, the anguish of bearing our sin and the darkness of being separated from His Father while He did it. Truly, Jesus bore all our sorrows. He paid the price.

This is a day for reverence, but it is also a day for solemn rejoicing, for deep gratitude. Jesus made a way into God’s Presence for us. He opened the door for us to have relationship with God the Father and His Son. Jesus paid it all.

It is indeed a Good Friday.

I just love it when I see someone in the post office or at the grocery store and have a conversation that is obviously a “God-thing,” a “God-opportunity,” and as we say good-bye, I realize that if I hadn’t been running late, I wouldn’t have run into them. I smile, knowing God is with me. That’s what I mean by “ordered steps.”

He’s the Director

God can use any part of how our day is going for His purposes and to bless us. I so appreciate the perfect parking place, the short line, the green light that helps me arrive at my meeting just when someone else is leaving the building and I get to speak an encouraging word. Truly, isn’t the best part of any day “making” someone else’s?

Conversely, I have to trust God with the full parking lot, the long line and the red light, knowing He is still ordering my steps. Maybe if I was on the road sooner, I would have been the one in the accident on the side of the road. He knows what’s best and as I surrender my daily life to Him, He is daily in my life.

Partners with God

Talk about how to keep our relationship with Him fresh and alive! When we ask Him to order our steps, we will be amazed at how smooth our day will go, how the seams will come together and how He will create opportunities to glorify Him and help someone else. We need to ask Him for divine appointments and declare ourselves willing partners with Him and see what supernatural things He will do. It’s so exciting and fulfilling.

Psalm 37:23 says, “The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.” (NLT)

The phrase “orders our steps” come from the King James Version, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord; and he delighteth in his way.”

He Cares About Our Details

Do we realize our Lord is truly interested in us and our daily agenda? Do we realize He is not only “with us” in a general sense, but also “with us” in “every detail” of our lives? He is. He cares about our every care.

We can smile. He is with us. He is leading us and guiding us. As we surrender…

Do you already ask the Lord to direct your daily steps or is it something you might try today?