Lay It Down

Yesterday, we had an absolutely beautiful service at The Crossroads. Pastor Shawn began a new series on worship. This week, he spoke about the cross. We did things a little differently than normal. We opened with "Made to Worship" and then we left the stage and Shawn talked for a few minutes about the cross and how we all have things we're holding onto - guilt, worries, sins - and he reminded us that God already took care of them all. One of the verses that he shared really stuck with me.

"But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities;

the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,

and by his wounds we are healed."

Isaiah 53:5

It's a verse that I've read and heard for the majority of my life, yet I can't seem to get one line of it out of my head. "...the punishment that brought us peace was upon him..." Punishment and peace. Two words that I typically do not associate together. Peace. It's so hard to find peace these days, and yet so many people are looking for it. I know I have been. God and I have been working through some tough stuff lately, and I find myself ecstatic when I make it through the day and realize that I feel a sense of peace, even if it's just for that day (or even that hour).

After Shawn spoke for a few minutes, he asked us each to take the slip of paper that was in each of our seats and write some of the things down - sins, guilt, worries - that we had been thinking about and invited us to nail them into the cross. Sadly, I had no trouble at all filling up my entire sheet of paper. And quite quickly, too. I walked to the front, and as I knelt down at the cross, I literally felt as if I was kneeling at the feet of my Jesus. The sound of the hammer hitting my nail made it so real for me.

Next, I took communion from the table and knelt down beside a friend who was praying. She turned to me and prayed a Jewish prayer over our bread, then said it in English for me. Next, she prayed Jewish and English prayers over our juice. It was one of the most beautiful things I'd ever heard. It took me completely by surprise. This unbelieveable feeling came over me and it took me a minute to figure out what it was. It was peace. In that moment, God reminded that I didn't have to search for peace every single day. He already took care of it. He already gave up his Son so that I don't have to carry around my guilt or pain or worries. I can experience His peace instead.

Yesterday, God spoke His love over me. He filled me with His peace. He reminded me that even though I have nothing but filthy rags to offer Him, He accepts them gladly, and restores my soul.

Lay it down...