Reflections of... GOD!

 "The Cross is empty because He is Alive Forevermore!"

                  Reflections Of… GOD!

                                                                by Alan P. Scaglione

This is my favorite time of year—EASTER!

I am a lot of things: father, husband, grandfather, cousin, friend, novelist, columnist, reporter, blogger, professional, inquisitive guy!
But…of all the things I am…the thing I am and have been since I was eleven years old—sold out, committed and consecrated-

CHRISTIAN!

I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ! I am probably even a little aggressive in my beliefs because…while I respect your beliefs…

I do NOT back down from mine!

And I believe that Jesus was born of a virgin, was without sin and gave himself willingly as the eternal sacrifice for my sin so I could accept HIM and…

Have Eternal Life!
And this week—it’s the BEST week of the year!
We celebrate something other religions do NOT have—we celebrate a LIVING GOD!!
That’s right—HE’s ALIVE FOREVERMORE!
I was teaching my goddaughters Suzette, Amber, Gabby and Aleia about Palm Sunday last Sunday.
I taught them the significance of what most call Holy Week!
I shared Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday!
And I asked them “What makes our Lord and Savior different than Confucius, Buddha, Mohammad or any of those gods people worship?”
They didn’t know!
I smiled real big and said “Our GOD IS ALIVE!! And Jesus is sitting right next to God and He is acting like our Lawyer, defending us to God!”
They looked surprised and then got really excited!
Gabby, our outspoken one, said, “Jesus was bullied and beaten up—no one should bully anybody!”
And I knew—she got it. Something bad happened to Jesus, and He didn’t deserve what happened.
And these girls are stair stepped ages: 11, 10, 9 and 8.
But they got it—Jesus was hurt by the bad people but He won in the end!
On a much younger level….
My grandson Jett—that brilliant 3 year old—ran out of his Children’s Church and rushed up to his mom and said…
“Mom—Jesus Escaped!”
And he was so excited because the week before, Jett came home worried about Jesus because “He got beat up by the bad guys!”
So…Jett is no longer worried about Jesus because… HE ESCAPED!
Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings… the truth comes!
I am just so elated to know—the next generation is still hearing the oldest story told—about a Savior who prayed “Nevertheless—THY will be done!”
And He walked up a lonely hill, to a place called Golgotha(place of the skull) which Gabby called Gargoyle – same difference!
And HE called the shots—THEY didn’t KILL HIM—no, HE GAVE UP THE GHOST willingly with Three simple words He showed I LOVE YOU!
When Jesus spoke IT IS FINISHED! And he bowed his head and died—our future was sealed; our way of escape was made; our salvation was born!
My favorite passage happened a few days later… in John 20:
¹¹But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,
¹²And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.
¹³And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.
¹⁴And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.
¹⁵Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.
¹⁶Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master!

Sometimes, you get the coolest experiences from just hanging around, waiting…
Mary was the FIRST to see Jesus!!! See what HE will show you when YOU’RE looking for HIM?
So… on this day, and every day that I breathe… I am encouraged that Jesus survived Gargoyle Hill and… He ESCAPED!
All so He could defend me to His Father!
What a deal—and all I had to do is ask…Jesus into my heart!
That same deal is waiting for you—come on, join me—All you gotta do is… ASK!

             IT IS FINISHED means I LOVE YOU

                                             Signed, JC

Brother “A”

Send me an email—just as simple as selecting the link—Share your Reflections with me!
Tell me how you accepted Jesus into your heart?