Stop Taking It For Granted

I couldn’t let this awesome weekend go by without sharing some brief thoughts. Mostly, I sit here speechless at the thought of what this weekend represents. I know for many it’s about bunnies, baskets, eggs, candy, food, new clothes, and that yearly visit to church. However, for me it’s so much more.

You see, I live my life based on what happened this weekend. The truth is, I’m able to live life because of what happened this weekend. This past Friday marks the day that Christ laid down his life and gave himself up for me, and for you. Today represents Christ overcoming death and the grave and raising from that tomb. This very weekend, Christ proved that He truly is the Son of God.

And do you know the most incredible part? He did it in spite of who we are. I’m not good enough and will never deserve what He did for me. But He loved me enough to die anyway. One of my absolute favorite scriptures says:

"6You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:6-8

How great is it that He died for us even though we were still sinners. That shows the depth of His love. But do you know what amazes me even more? The fact that even some of you who are reading this blog are not living lives pleasing to God, and He still died even though He knew you wouldn’t. It’s even more amazing, that He died knowing that some of you never will. Now that’s true love!

I want to encourage you today to check your life, and really search to see if Christ is truly number one. Stop taking Him for granted. Stop using "freedom in Christ" as an excuse to live any way you want to. Paul even said that just because he can exercise that freedom, it doesn’t mean it’s good for him (1 Corinthians 6:12). Stop using the "I’m a good person" excuse. Stop saying "One day I’ll look into it." Stop saying "The church is just full of hypocrits."

Those excuses even with some validity, will do nothing but send you farther away from Chirst than you would ever hope to be! Let’s all get to the bottom of it and realize that Chirst was falsly accused, mistreated, humiliated, abandoned, betrayed, laughed at, abused, beaten, and crucified for you! Now tell me one good excuse that can top any reason not to fully give Him what He deserves. You know what? I don’t have one either.

Nothing would make Chirst happier today than for you to truly repent (which means not just to pray a prayer, but to turn from your sin) and live a life of thanksgiving for what He has done for you. If Chirst never answered another one of my prayers, He has already done more than enough to make this life I live worth it.

Take this moment and ask Chirst to forgive you and make a commitment to Him that you want to live your life for Him. I promise you will never regret it. If you would like some help starting your relationship with Him, send me an email at info@brandonmatthews.com

I am so thankful for what Christ has done on this weekend. Even though I’m not worthy of it, He did it for me anyway. This truly is the most special weekend we have. Don’t take it for granted!

Thankful,

Brandon