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I AM Coming Back!
Andrea Lende • April 12, 2020
John 20:6-7
I AM Coming Back!
You may also listen to the meditation and prayer at: https://anchor.fm/andrea-lende/episodes/I-AM-Coming-Back-ecm7ec
Daily Word:
John 20:6-7
“Then Simon Peter came up, following him, and went into the tomb and saw the linen cloths lying there;”
“But the burial napkin (kerchief) which had been around Jesus’ head, was not lying with the other linen cloths, but was [still] rolled up (wrapped round and round) in a place by itself.”
Jesus has risen this day!
We rejoice in His resurrection!
God’s plan to present us perfect in His sight has been done!
Our sins are forgiven.
Our sins are forever cast out of His sight.
We need only to ask.
We also celebrate that Jesus is coming again!
The folded burial napkin signifies this.
In the Hebrew tradition the master of the house would wad up his napkin and throw it on the table when he was finished eating.
This was the way the servant was sure that the master was done and the table should be cleared.
But if the master folded his napkin and neatly set it back on the table, then this signified he would be back to finish eating.
The burial linen cloths were in one spot of the tomb, but the linen cloth that was around Jesus’ head was neatly folded and placed in another spot.
He was sending His next greatest message to the disciples.
He would be come back again!
This is great news for all!
Today I rejoice in knowing that Jesus has covered me by His blood and that He is coming again!
May you rejoice in the Lord today as we celebrate His resurrection and His message of His return!
Daily Prayer:
O Lord, my God, thank You for sending Your Son to live and die so that I am covered by His blood for all of my sins. Thank You for Your perfect plan to restore me to You, Lord. Thank You for reaching down from heaven to touch my life and be present in every moment. As Jesus died for me, You can now look upon me and see me as perfect in Your eyes. There is no one here on earth who sees me as You do, Lord. I am humbled in Your presence. As I feel Your love rush through every part of my being, I am lifted into Your presence. Thank You for loving me so perfectly and so completely. Only You can love me as You do. You, the God of the universe, have stolen my heart and soul. I am lowly and nothing and, yet, You love me more than I can possibly comprehend. Thank You, Father. Help me love others as You do. Help me serve them as You have need and help me serve with joy. May I feel You lift me out of the ordinary and mundane into the miraculous, Father. Lead me to You in all that You ask of me. Help me bless someone this day. Thank You for hearing my prayer.
Answer: I sent My Son for all people everywhere and for all time to believe in Me and His sacrifice for every sin.
Response: May we all bow down and worship You and Your Son, most gracious God and Father.
We start a New Year! How exciting! Paul had just finished telling the Ephesians to put off their old nature. They had been run around by their feelings and desires. He told them to be renewed in their spirit. The Amplified Bible defines this to be “having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude.” As we say goodbye to this year, let us put on the new and leave the old behind. We have an opportunity to reflect on what to bring forward into this New Year.
This is a great message for the New Year. We can be in control of our own words. As a mother, I used to tell my children to use their words to explain what was happening in their minds. I tried to help them find the right words. Words that would help the situation and not make it worse. I must do the same thing when talking to them. It’s important to use words that do not damage their spirits. Words that lift up instead of tear down. Even though my children have grown, I still want to be careful how I speak to them because my worlds will impact them for the rest of their lives.
As we approach the New Year, it is a perfect time to take inventory of what part of our lives, our hearts, and our souls are not bearing fruit. What can we give up as this year comes to a close? What do we need to give to the Lord for His cleansing and pruning? The answers to these questions take time. Time with the Lord. We are creatures of routines and habits which serve us well. But we can also change our routines and habits to serve us and the Lord better. So, we can ask God to show us what He wants us to give up so that He can have more of us.
I cannot think of a better verse to meditate on as we approach the New Year. Jesus said, "the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you]." For so many years I believed I had to wait to go to heaven to experience the kingdom of God. I have longed to step into heaven and meet the Lord and His Son. However, as we read the Gospels and study Jesus and all that He said, we begin to understand the kingdom of God is all around us. The kingdom of God is within.
Paul wrote to the Colossians and told them he was praying for them. He prayed they would be refreshed, renewed, and invigorated. He also prayed they would be strengthened. May his prayer be heard by the Lord God Almighty on our behalf today just as it was received two thousand years ago. God is the Source of all things beautiful and wonderful. There is no shortage of renewal, refreshment, or inspiration in His kingdom. And as the Creator of this universe, He continues to pour all good things into His people. Paul wrote that refreshment and strength are needed so we may have endurance.
This verse is the perfect verse to reflect on as Christmas comes to a close. The Lord sent His Son to us. He sent Him to this world as a babe. Jesus was given the task of growing up. A difficult one for all of us. He endured the awkward stages we all go through as we grow past them. I look back at old picture and cringe, yes, I cringe. This life provides plenty of opportunities to feel awkward and just plain weird, but our Father loves us as though we are perfect every day of our lives. This is why Jesus came. He came to make us perfect in God’s sight.
God made Himself flesh so He could take away the sins of the world. The story of the very first Christmas was humble, yet the most powerful and loving birth ever recorded in history. All humanity changed in an instant. When Jesus was born, love filled the earth. Love came down and lifted us up. The angels came to tell the shepherds of this beautiful birth. The stars in the heavens also told the story. As we do all tasks that we do to ensure a beautiful Christmas day, may we remember the miracle that God sent long ago. The miracle of all miracles.
The first Christmas was going to be documented, so that it could be read many times over for all Christmas’ to come. It was also documented so the prophecy of the Messiah’s birth would be known to be fulfilled. Prophets of old foretold Jesus would come from the house of David. They also prophesied that He would be born in Bethlehem. And all this came to pass. Even though Jesus would be known as a Nazarene, His beginning began in Bethlehem. God’s divine plan was set in motion with the first census while Mary was at the end of her pregnancy.
What a wonderful passage to read during Christmas week. Our passage touched my heart as I read it through the lens of Jesus’ birth. “It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself.” We have so much to be thankful for in these few short words, “restoring the world to favor with Himself.” So undeserved and yet so graciously given. We are offered favor with the Lord. Imagine having favor with the almighty God, the Creator of the universe. Jesus chose to leave heaven’s door where all was perfect. He chose to be born into this dusty messy world.
Jesus had just spoken to a fig tree and deemed it unworthy to live because it had no fruit on it. His disciples were amazed when they saw the fig tree wither and die. Then the Lord talked to them about prayer and belief. He told them that whatever they asked for, if they had the faith and belief, they would receive it. I remember the day I started hearing music and lyrics. I had just bowed my head at the piano and asked if the Lord would bless praise and worship music. As soon as I prayed that prayer, the Lord bestowed the gift of song writing upon me.