"To me, to live is Christ and to die is gain."- Philippians 1:21

I woke up today exhausted, but with a better spirit than yesterday...That in itself is reason for thanks...
I really enjoyed chapel this morning. It is funny how yesterday was "worship chapel" and I could not move my lips, could not let my heart break from the chains the enemy had placed around it, all I could do was cry and today, just a normal "class chapel" and I felt the Lord more in that hour than I did for the whole 24 that He graciously gave me yesterday...
A friend of mine led worship and it was so amazing to see the Holy Spirit work through him...It wasn't him that I saw, but it was
Him...
Then, his brother gave the message. This was not an ordinary message that you sit, read a few verses and then discuss...We just read the Bible. We listened to him tell the story of Christ, of His passion...and as he was reading, I realized something that I had never truly grasped before...
We read in
Matthew 26-28 this morning and what really hit me was something that I refused to believe yesterday. He was reading the part of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane and how 3 times, Jesus prayed to God, that if possible, He be spared...but only if it were God's will. After He prayed and woke up His disciples, a crowd came to arrest Him. As they grabbed Him, one disciple drew his sword and cut off a soldier's ear. Jesus commanded him to put it away, for
"all who draw the sword, die by the sword".
"Do you think I cannot call on my Father and He will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen?"This is what hit me...Jesus knew, He knew what was going to happen, He knew all along that He was going to die, but He did it. He knew that if He asked God, God would send down all of those angels to save Him. He didn't have to die, He had the complete power to stop them all...
yet,
He willingly went...I don't know that I could do that? Actually, I know I couldn't...I mean, I would die for those I love, but if I was wrongfully accused I would defend myself...but
He kept silent...Those I would die for are ones whom I know love me...
He died for those who did not...I've heard this story before, but it never really sunk in until today. Yesterday I was at a place where I pretty much believed that God didn't truly love me, because if He did He wouldn't let me hurt so much, (for I've always thought that you didn't hurt those whom you love), but He was letting me hurt and watching me endlessly cry and was doing nothing about it...We tussled for a bit, but we came to a compromise...
and that led me to today, where reading His word and listening to His actions, I understood the weight of what He has done for me...the depth of His love. He had the chance and He gave it all up...He gave it all up for His Father's Glory and His Children...
I'll never truly understand it. I'll never truly understand why He chose to give me this gift, but I will accept it and in return, give my life to Him as a means of my gratitude...
I
believe now that I can be called His Child...
If Ever I loved Thee, My Jesus, Tis Now