All I Need

As a reflection on Christ's sacrifice, I have been meaning to write this post since Thursday night. Life has gotten in the way, and I have not had a spare second. But on this Saturday night before we celebrate the resurrection of Christ, I want to take a minute to reflect on His sacrifice.

I have always loved Easter. I have said before that it is my favorite holiday. But I don't think we can fully celebrate Christ's resurrection from the cross until we understand why He was on the cross in the first place. It's a beautiful story with a happy ending, but until we understand why we needed that sacrifice to be made, we can't truly be grateful for it.

Michael and I attended our church's Thursday night Tenebrae Service for the first time this year. I don't know why we haven't made this more of a priority in the years past, but I am so grateful that we were able to take that time to reflect on that night. The grief that must have been felt by Christ's friends and family is really unimaginable to us. I don't think we could ever understand the despair they must have felt. All of their hope was in Him, and He was dead. But Christ understood what was happening, and He chose to continue.

As the lights in our church grew dimmer as the service went on, the weight of my sin became heavier and heavier. I could feel it weighing me down. I was able to put myself in the shoes of Judas and everyone else who betrayed Jesus because their sin was the same as mine. And at the same time I could feel Christ take that burden from me. That burden was hanging on the cross.

There have been times in my faith journey that everything has seemed complicated and confusing because I have lost sight of what is most important. It's ironic that the more I grow and the more I learn about my God, the more I realize how little I know and how unworthy I am of the sacrifice He made for me. The more I understand His love for me, the more I understand that I could never earn that love.

I am a big sinner with a big Savior. That I am certain of. He loves me with a love I can not comprehend. His blood on the cross set me free, and it is all I need. All I need. I no longer have to carry that sin burden because He carried it for me.

Every song on Andrew Peterson's new Resurrection Letters cd is amazing, but this one has resonated deeply with me. I play it on repeat, and my boys probably have it memorized as well. If you drive past me and wonder why I have tears pouring down my face, it is probably because I am listnening to this song.

Happy Easter Eve to you and may you be blessed by these words...

All You'll Ever Need
Words and Music by Andrew Peterson

The blood of Jesus, it is like the widow's oil: it's enough to pay the price to set you free. It can fill up every jar and every heart that ever beat. When it's all you have it's all you'll ever need.

The blood of Jesus, it is like the leper's river running humble with a power you cannot see. Seven times go under, let the water wash you clean. Only go down to the Jordan and believe. Only go down in the Jordan and believe. And I need it, I need it. The closer that I grow, the more I come to know how much I need it.

The blood of Jesus it is like Elijah's fire, falling on the altar of your faith. All the wisdom of the world could never conjure up a spark, but no power of Hell could ever quench this flame. No power of Hell could ever touch this flame. And I need it, I need it. The closer that I grow, the more I come to know how much I need the blood of Jesus.

The blood of Jesus, it is like the widow's oil: when it's all you have it's all you'll ever need. It is all you'll ever need.