Life is a Blessing

Faith Life is a Blessing by Tracy McCoy

“My God, My God, Why hast thou forsaken me?”

These words, spoken in the last minutes of Jesus’ life while dying on the cross of Calvary, have rolled through the minds and hearts of nearly every believer. The weight of illness, sadness, financial responsibilities, grief, worry, or just life is sometimes a lot to bare. In this instance the sins of mankind rested on Christ’s shoulders and for the first time in His life, He felt apart from His Father. Sin separated them.

God is holy. What exactly does that mean? Holy as defined by Merriam-Webster means exalted or worthy of complete devotion as one perfect in goodness and righteousness; Divine. Our God is perfect and sorry to break it to you, we are not! Every single one of us have sinned. We sin daily, trying our hardest not to. I am sure you have heard the comical prayer from a woman much like me. “Father, I know you are so proud of me, I have not talked about anyone, told a lie, been jealous of the neighbors or been mean to my husband, but Lord I am just getting up, so be with me today!”

What was required of Jesus to atone for our sin? His death. He had to die to pay that debt to a Holy God. He bridged that gap between God and man. Once that sacrifice was made Grace became our gift. Given freely to all who will accept it. No one can earn it. Man tried for thousands of years. It was the spotless life of God’s own Son that took away the sins of the world.

Tracy is the publisher of the Laurel of Northeast Georgia. She lives to share the love of Christ and she wants you to know His goodness. She is a wife and a mom to some pretty amazing guys. She loves to paint, grows flowers, enjoys her friends and her family. Kids are her favorite people probably because she is still one at heart.

As the season leading up to Easter is upon us, I reflect on the life and death of Jesus. He lived, yet never sinned. He performed miracle after miracle showing kindness to those thrown aside by society. Jesus loved and He shared all that He had. He called the unfit and He taught all who would listen. He healed the blind, made the lame to walk and He fed tens of thousands and still feeds people today. How you say? He uses us, His church to do His work. He gives knowledge to Physicians and He heals through love and kindness. Today Jesus still changes lives. He still forgives sin just by the asking. He stands close to the dying, holds the hands of our little ones when times are hard. He heals sometimes in hospitals and sometimes He takes us to Heaven.

I never think about this season without thinking about the two thieves who hung on the crosses beside Jesus. One spewed mocking words challenging Him to save Himself and them too. The other thief believed He was the Son of God and asked that Jesus remember Him when He came into this kingdom that day. One chose to believe and was assured of Heaven and one didn’t. It is symbolic of men and women today. Up until you take your last breath you can choose to accept His gift and be saved by His abundant grace.

There are many days that I live in the light of that grace and there are days when I feel abandoned. His word says “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” so, I ask myself why do I feel alone? Then I turn around looking for Him, my arms full of things like fear, doubt, sadness, worry, and other burdens too big for me to carry and I see Him. He never took His eyes off of me and when I set these things that I can not control down and run into His arms I feel His never ending love for me. Because I am human down the road as life gets hard I will do it all over again and then I am reminded that He does not intend for me to carry burdens around. To do so limits the good I can do. So I set it down in prayer and I unload my concerns to my Father and I am free. Empty arms are a result of Jesus work on the cross.

I remember hearing in Sunday school that Jesus died for me and that He loved me. Well my 7 year old self said, “If Jesus loves me, well I will love Him back.” I was not afraid of Hell, on the contrary I wanted to go to Heaven to see Jesus. I got down on my knees and I told Him that I loved him and I was so sorry He had to die for me. I asked him to forgive me and told Him I wanted to come to Heaven. That day I was changed. Now I would love to tell you that after that day I was an angel and never committed another sin but that would be a lie and we all know what God thinks of lying. I had many struggles through the years. The death of my mom, being a teenager, I was terribly hurt by someone, got myself in more trouble than you’d ever believe and I lived “outside of the will of God” for many years. Too many. I look back and I know He never left me through all of that mess.

The day came when all of those sins came into focus and I knelt at the altar at Battle Branch Baptist Church and I asked God to forgive me again and He did. God and I have a loving relationship because Jesus bridged that gap. Jesus, a friend like no other, my Savior took my place so that I could know God. If I die today I will be in Heaven and I will live for eternity because He loved me that much. The best news is He died for your sin too and if you want to go to Heaven, find a quiet place, kneel and talk to God, tell Him you are sorry for the wrongs you’ve done and accept Jesus’ forgiveness. I promise you He wants nothing more than to spend eternity with you. The love of Christ will set you free.