Easter reflections

"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." ~ Philippians 2:5-11

This passage from the Apostle Paul's letter to the church at Philippi are probably some of my favorite verses in the New Testament. I love to ruminate on these verse and marvel at the cost of my salvation. On the eve of our observation of Easter Sunday remembering the bodily resurrection of God's Son, Jesus Christ, I wanted to share a couple of poems by Marsha Lowndes.

THE LAMB OF GOD

Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God
Who takes away our sin
He came the sinless Son of God
To cleanse our hearts within

He hung upon the blood-stained cross
Thinking of you and me
Dying like some hardened criminal
His body in agony

His blood flowed down from the cross
His body tormented with pain
He cried out to His Heavenly Father
But it seemed no answer came

People stood and jeered at Him
Mocking to the end
Who Jesus was and why He came
They couldn’t comprehend

Their hearts were indifferent to the Lord
Their consciences grew ever cold
His mother watched on - unable to bear it
As the sword pierced through her soul

As you try to grasp this picture
The pain that Christ went through
Remember that day you were on His mind
He endured it all for you

Just so you could know His love
And forgiveness for your sins
To know His resurrection power
And to have His life within

He cares that much about your life
He endured the cross for you
Like those who jeered, or those who loved
With Jesus – what will you do?

© By M.S.Lowndes ~2006


THE RESURRECTION

We hold so close to our hearts
The cross where Jesus died
But so much more than the blood-stained cross
Is that Jesus came back to life

The stone's been rolled away
The tomb lay open and bare
They looked for Him, and then the angel said
That He is no longer here

Oh what joy they must have felt
To see Him just once more
To eat with Him, to drink with Him
To receive Him back as Lord

So much did He accomplish
Through His death upon the cross
And in His rising from the dead
He reconciled us back to God

Nothing else could bridge the gap
That sin had wrenched apart
Now we can freely go to God
And receive Christ in our hearts

© By M.S.Lowndes

"What is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor." ~ Psalm 8:4-5