04.18.03

And in this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all people a feast of choice pieces, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of well-refined wines on the lees. And He will destroy on this mountain the surface of the covering cast over all people, and the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death forever, and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces; the rebuke of His people He will take away from all the earth; for the LORD has spoken. - Isaiah 25:6-8.

There is a strange thing that I’ve noticed that ESPN now has on its channels. It had been several years since I had watched ESPN (sports channels)(No cable) and I was surprised that they now show reruns. They rebroadcast reruns of football and basketball games. I actually watched a game for almost a half before I realized that I was watching a game played several years before.

Just like some people like to listen to good music like the golden oldies over and over again - some people like to watch great football and basketball games over and over again. Why? Of course for players and coaches there are many lessons, which they can learn from those games but why do the thousands of other people watch them? I think it is because the games turn out the way they want them to. They know how the game ends and even though there may be some difficult moments for their team they know it all works out in the end. As they watch the game over and over every play is a celebration and they enjoy the thrill of victory over and over again.

The way some watch reruns of favorite games because they know how it turns out in the end we can enjoy life in the same way. We don’t have to worry about whether God will take care of us and whether He will make everything turn out for our good. We don’t have to worry about how life will turn out because we know what will happen in the end. Since we know the ultimate end we can enjoy the trip. Since Jesus overcame death we can overcome life. Just as Isaiah speaks of a great feast of celebration every day can be a feast of celebration for us even on those difficult days. Because as the apostle Paul puts it, "…in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:37-39).”

Jesus came to give us life and to give us life abundantly (John 10:10). He came to throw off the covering, the veil (or the shroud as it is sometimes translated) of death. He can throw off the shroud of death that covers all areas of your life whether it is your marriage, or your finances, or your habits, or your career, or your relationship with your family, or your spiritual life. Jesus can give you life because He has overcome death and won the victory for eternity. As Isaiah says He has "swallow(ed) up death forever.”

Stop allowing the enemy to rule over you! You know the victory has been won and you know how life will turn out in the end. Allow Jesus to remove the shroud of death from off your life and give you life, abundant life, life pressed down and overflowing. This Easter I hope you will grab hold of the wondrous truth and life that Jesus through such great cost has provided for you. And that life begins the moment we receive Jesus as our Savior. You see it really does turn out well for us in the end and right now too.

May you all have a wonderful and meaningful Easter!!