Nan's Calendar

by  Nan Forehand,  Statesville, NC

"Today I know that such memories are the key not to the past, but to the future. I know that the experiences of our lives, when we let God use them, become the mysterious and perfect preparation for the work He will give us to do. "
— Corrie Ten Boom (The Hiding Place)

As I meditate on this Holy Week, I sometimes feel at a loss for words regarding Jesus' suffering at the hands of Pilate's soldiers and His crucifixion on the cross.  As I think  about the quote by Corrie Ten Boom, I'm reminded of the time I watched the Mel Gibson movie The Passion of the Christ.  I was so deeply moved by the realistic scenes of the torture of Jesus that I've never been the same since watching the movie.  I'm a visual person by nature and the horror I witnessed unfolding before me on the big screen felt so real that it left a permanent imprint on my soul.  The agony He suffered to fulfill the Law humbles me to the point of something I can't even describe to you now in words.  The Good News is that He arose from the dead and His spirit is still alive today!!!!! 
I truly believe God used that experience of watching the movie to use me for His service to prepare me for writing Nan's Calendar.  Jesus didn't die in vain.  As long as there is breath in my body, I will continue to reach out to others for Christ; to love them; to encourage them; to challenge them; to comfort them; to warn them.  Human rebellion causes people to act against God.  If I have the slightest influence in helping to break down the barrier between a person and Jesus, God knows it.  My influence is presented with gentleness and love.  There is, I believe, more accomplished in a spirit of gentleness and love than with brute force. 
No matter where I go or what I face, the spiritual presence of Jesus is with me.  I am encouraged and strengthened because I know, without a doubt, that Jesus is my Lord and Savior.  Do you know Him as your Lord and Savior?  Are you "on fire" for the Lord?  He's not impressed with lukewarm Christians.  They are more dangerous than one who has never repented.  As it says in Revelation 3:15-16 "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot.  I wish you were either one or the other!  So, because you are lukewarm - neither hot or cold - I am about to spit you out of my mouth."  I will quote you the side note in my Bible regarding verse 16.  "At least those who are spiritually cold cannot pretend that they are all right.  Their spiritual needs are obvious.  But those who are lukewarm may have just enough pretense of religion to cause them to think they are okay.  God desires wholehearted, sincere responses.  Anything less suggests that other things have a higher priority than a relationship with him.  Those who want the "minimum requirement" - just enough of God to get by - risk missing him altogether." 
I don't want you to miss Him!  If you're not right with Jesus, get right with Him now.  Ask Him to forgive you of your sins and ask Him to be Lord and Savior of your life.  Give your life over to Him.  Go to your pastor/minister/reverend/priest/elder, whomever you need to go to to learn more about accepting Jesus as your Savior.  If you're already a Christian, rededicate your life to Christ.  Ask Jesus to give you a new heart and ask Him to make of you a vessel He can use to help others who desperately need to know about Him and the ultimate sacrifice He made on the cross for all of us.
May God be with you this day and bring you to a new understanding of the suffering of Christ on the cross and to know a special relationship with Jesus that you have never known before. In Jesus name I pray.  Amen