Easter is an excellent time to reflect on Jesus’s life, death, burial, and resurrection. In his 1987 sermon The Divine Exchange, Derek Prince’s describes how, out of his great love for us, Jesus took our shame so we can be free of it: His kingship, deity and power were mocked; He was spat at, scourged, slapped and stripped.
God provided you the greatest gift of all. His only son came, died a painful and shameful death on the cross, rose triumphantly and gloriously and, through His substitutionary and sacrificial death, provided freedom from guilt and shame.
As you celebrate Easter, remember, it is unscriptural to think yourself insignificant or unimportant. Your past mistakes are what you did and not who you are. Forget that life you view as painful and worthless, those years wasted on drugs, that illness weakening your body, the verbal, physical or sexual abuse. Forget that shameful and guilt-ridden past.
Rather, focus on the endearing names He calls you which reveal how prized you are to Him: “chosen” (Ephesians 1:4), “heir” (Romans 8:17), “precious jewel” (Malachi 3:17), “witness” (Acts 1:8), “apple of His eye” (Zechariah 2:5). Begin to place on yourself the same value that your Maker places on you.
Call yourself what He calls you. Embrace the length, width, breadth and depth of His treasured love.
Trust in the finished work of Christ and live in the reality of you new identity in Him.
Happy Easter.
