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plea

Hallel Day 15 From Death To Life

April 17, 2020 by Rebecca Adams Leave a Comment

Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 118:17-29
Psalm 24:1-10
Matthew 26:36-56
Luke 20:9-18

Hallel, Day 15

I will not die, but I will live
and proclaim what the Lord has done.
The Lord disciplined me severely,
but did not give me over to death.

The words came flooding like so much mockery as the events of the previous hours replayed again and again, unbidden, in my mind. These were words my lips had sung hours before in swirls of confusion beneath the dark sky of Gethsemane. It was the same garden, the same piles of rocks, the same swath of olive branches where I had sat with these brothers of mine for countless hours over the last three years.

Here, I’d heard Jesus teaching the masses.
Here, I’d heard been confronted with truth.
Here, we had learned to pray.
And mere hours go, here is where my brothers and I had fallen asleep while…….
the sobs gathered with overwhelming force in my throat, choking me, as I called to mind my failings.

I ran aimlessly through the now empty garden.
I could not hold back the screams of agony.
Falling to the ground, my fists pummeled the soft earth, and I wished for death.

Here, just hours ago, I had watched Jesus heal a soldier’s ear from Peter’s reckless sword.
Here, I had been jolted awake from Jesus’ emotion-filled plea to please, please pray with Him. But I didn’t. I just couldn’t stay awake.

My hands reached up and grabbed at nearby olive branches in self-loathing and anger, plucking new leaves into my balled-up fists.

Softly, the words came again.
I will not die, but I will live
and proclaim what the Lord has done.

Proclaim?!
I scoffed!
Proclaim what??
That Yahweh had parted the Red Sea?
So what…
That He brought us out of exile?
That was centuries ago….
None of it was relevant now.
Our Messiah is… dead.

Anger overtook me again as my fingers dug into the dirt.

Open the gates of righteousness for me;
I will enter through them
and give thanks to the Lord.
This is the Lord’s gate;
the righteous will enter through it.

The melody came like whispers.
As if Jesus Himself were singing the words, and my mind easily recalled the lusty sound of His voice, fraught with emotion, as He had sung those words while leading us here last night.

This is the Lord’s gate;
the righteous will enter through it.

What did any of this mean anymore in light of all the new happenings.
In light of death….
The only understanding hitting me hard on repeat was the knowing that I was not righteous. I was not righteous. I was not righteous. Too many sins, like the dirt pressed beneath my fingernails, my sin colored everything.
I knew the truth, I was not righteous.

Not like Jesus. Certainly not like Jesus. He was innocent. Holy. Pure.
And again, the tears flowed with the blatant injustice of it all.
Holiness murdered. Messiah dead. Hope gone…..

I will give thanks to you
because you have answered me
and have become my salvation.
The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
This came from the Lord;
it is wondrous in our sight.

My lungs held their air as the words seemed to wrap around me, insisting I gaze at them longer. My body trembled, but something about those words I hadn’t recognized before. I turned my head as if to hear the words sung again in Jesus’ voice. Was there a deeper message in these age-old lyrics?

You…have become my salvation.
The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
This came from the Lord;

They were jagged pieces of a puzzle, but like a hazy fog gathering around me, realization was slowly creeping over me.
Salvation.
The stone the builders rejected….
This came from the Lord.

I inhaled sharply, suddenly remembering I had forgotten to breath, and my mind raced to the day Jesus had spoken those very words.
We were all gathered around Him in Jerusalem, walking around the breathtaking edifice of Herod’s Temple. He had told a strange parable, as most of them were, about the owner of a vineyard who, while out of the country, had sent a servant to gather fruit. But the tenants of the vineyard, whom the owner had left in charge, beat up the servant and sent him back empty handed. Three times the owner sent a servant, and three times the tenants abused the servants. Finally, the owner sent His own beloved Son, saying surely, the tenants will respect my son. But they didn’t. Instead they killed him. Then Jesus had quoted this portion of the Hallel, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone”.

Soft rain began mixing with my tears as I lifted my face to the heavens.
Christ was the cornerstone.
Christ was the rejected son, killed by the ones intended to care for the Father’s people.
Salvation.
This came from the Lord.

“There must be more to the story, Jesus”, I felt my lips move, and peace began easing my clenched muscles.
I didn’t have the answers, but, here, as before, in this Garden, I was being confronted with truth.

The Lord is God and has given us light.

Yes, Lord, You are the giver of Light.
Jesus, He is Your light of the world.
But, God, they crucified Him!
My questions still hung in the air
His answer came with power as the words to the end of the Hallel opened my heart, “Bind the festival sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar…”

Jesus.
The bound sacrifice.
The cross was the altar.
Death traded for life!

I still had questions to be sure, but as I rose, dropping the olive branches to the dirt by my sandaled feet, I felt washed. I felt peace.
No, I didn’t know the answers. Christ was still in the grave, but there was more to the story, I knew it would be so because God has always, always been faithful, and always would be.

Yes, He parted the Red Sea.
Yes, it still mattered.
Yes, He set us free from slavery.
Because He has always brought Life out of Death.

You are my God, and I will give you thanks.
You are my God; I will exalt you.
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
His faithful love endures forever!

—–
As is the case with each of our first-person narratives at Gracefully Truthful, these stories of Hallel have been imaginative creativity based in the truth of Scripture. We don’t know what the disciples’ exact actions or personal internal wrestlings were after the final Passover meal, the betrayal, the denial, the flogging, and finally the crucifixion of their Lord, Jesus Christ. But, here in the Garden, we hope you find small pieces of your own journey with Jesus, and you, like the disciples, discover He is indeed faithful and true, as He always brings Life out of Death!

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Don’t miss today’s Digging Deeper!     And we’d love to hear your thoughts from today’s Journey!    Comment Here!

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Hallel Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Click the above image for today’s Digging Deeper!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Hallel!

Posted in: Discipline, Hallel, Hope, Jesus, Prayer, Salvation, Truth, Worship Tagged: Alter, cross, death, Easter, Here, Passover, plea, proclaim, To Life

Worship VI Day 5 Raise A Hallelujah

November 29, 2019 by Sarah Young 2 Comments

Read His Words Before Ours!

Philippians 4:4-8
Colossians 3:15-17
Deuteronomy 20:1-4
1 Peter 1:3-9
Psalm 138:1-8

Worship VI, Day 5

Hallelujah!  Praise!  Thank You, Jesus!

Shouts come from one pew, then another and another as the passionate preacher enthusiastically declares the goodness of the Lord.  You can feel the JOY, excitement, and anticipation in the room.

However, HALLELUJAHS are NOT limited to revival worship services or bound by location or circumstance.

Truth be told, sometimes a HALLELUJAH sounds more like HELP! than HOORAY!
HALLELUJAH may end with a question mark rather than an exclamation point.

HALLELUJAHs come in all shapes and sizes: a whisper, shout, sob, song, plea, or praise.
Whether written, spoken, or only thought in our hearts, God recognizes all of them.

I first heard the song “Raise a Hallelujah” at a Refresh Conference for foster and adoptive parents.  If you know anything about the REALITY of fostering or adopting, you understand the hardship and heartbreak.

As we gathered together, all broken and hurting, we CHOSE to praise.
Collectively, we lifted our voices to declare VICTORY even though we were ALL still in the midst of battle.

The apostle Peter knew what heavy suffering felt like, and he wrote a letter to encourage believers who were in the midst of hardship.
He told them their difficult circumstances should NOT determine how they lived.
(1 Peter 1:1-9)

Our praise is based on God’s character proven over and over by what He has already done.  With His faithfulness in mind, we can look ahead, fully anticipating what He will do.  This perspective allows us to RAISE A HALLELUJAH from the valley, the mountaintop, or anywhere in between.

Line after line, this song reminds us that praise is a CHOICE.

in the presence of my enemies

I think of David who often shared honestly about the adversity he experienced.  Yet, in the midst, David realized God was not only WITH him, but actually “preparing a feast for him in the presence of his enemies.” (Psalm 23:5)

louder than the unbelief

I think of the father who brought his son to Jesus, desperate for healing. The dad had watched for years as an evil spirit seized his little boy, throwing him into fire or water.  Helpless, he begged Jesus to do something, if He could.  Jesus assured him, “Anything is possible if a person believes.”  In raw honesty, the father cries out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”

Can you relate?  I know I can!

Sometimes we have to CHOOSE to declare God’s goodness that we KNOW to be true BEFORE we actually experience it in the NOW.

We can praise WHILE WE WAIT and trust God to act.
The song itself was actually written beside a hospital bed as people begged God to miraculously save a little boy.

I’m gonna’ sing, in the middle of the storm

 I think of Paul and Silas in prison, worshipping their hearts out while bound with chains.  They could have been complaining, but instead they were praising.

We CANNOT wait for things to be perfect.
We MUST LEARN to praise God in the valley, the desert, the wilderness, and the storm.

in the middle of the mystery

We trust Him in the waiting.
We follow Him in the unknown.

As we do, hardship is EXPECTED.
Jesus actually GUARANTEED it.

So, when we find ourselves in tough times, don’t look at the storm,
fix your eyes on your Savior.
Don’t be afraid of the wind or the waves.
Silence them with worship.

my weapon is a melody

 Who knew you could fight Satan with a song instead of a sword?!
Best part though?

Heaven comes to fight for me

We are not alone in the battle!
GOD is on our side, fighting FOR us and WITH us.

I think of the Israelites at the Red Sea, trapped with nowhere to go, and Pharaoh’s chariots racing towards them.  Moses assures them,
“The Lord Himself will fight for you.  Just stay calm.”
Then, he stretches out his staff, and the waters part by God’s mighty hand!

I may not know exactly what you are going through, but I do know
Up from the ashes, hope will arise
Death is defeated, the King is alive

Your present situation is NOT the end of the story.
God has already won the war.

We are in the middle of a fierce battle, yes.
BUT we are fighting FROM victory not for victory.

You may feel like your HALLELUJAH is a white flag of surrender rather than victory’s banner.    I STILL urge you to lift it up.
with everything inside of {you}

You may not be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but, raise your hallelujah and
watch the darkness flee

You may feel wrapped in anxiety, but proclaim,
fear you lost your hold on me 

As we praise, lives begin to change.
First our own, and then countless others.

Someone hurting is watching as YOU trust God.
THEN, she utters her own tiny hallelujah.
Sing a little louder

Someone grieving sees YOU process your loss with hope.
She catches on and whispers hallelujah too.
Sing a little louder

Someone overwhelmed is listening as YOU cry out for God’s help.
She joins in, sharing your confidence.
Sing a little louder

Someone feeling defeated hears YOU declare Jesus’ victory.
She believes His victory is hers too.
Sing a little louder

All around the world, our voices unite to form a hallelujah chorus.
Louder and louder, you’re gonna’ hear {our} praises roar

Whatever you’re walking through in this moment, are you willing to raise your hallelujah? Even a shaky one?
The choir needs YOUR voice!!!


Ready for more? Dig Deeper!
Join us for every Journey Study by signing up!
Looking for yesterday’s Journey Study?
Share your thoughts from today’s Study!

Don’t miss today’s Digging Deeper!     And we’d love to hear your thoughts from today’s Journey!    Comment Here!

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Worship VI Week One! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Click the above image for today’s Digging Deeper!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Worship VI!

Posted in: Broken, Faithfulness, God, Help, Jesus, Victorious, Worship Tagged: gather, Hallelujah, hurting, plea, shout, song, victory, whisper

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And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14