Hiding HIS words in your Heart---April's Verse

I think it's so wonderful that this month's H3 verse falls on Easter weekend.....really emphasizing why we chose to announce the new scriptures on the 3rd of the month..........HE AROSE!! 

They could beat him, spit on him, mock him, scream at him, despise him, test him, tempt him, be jealous of him, hate him, spear him, laugh at him, just about anything horrid you can think of....they did it to him.....and finally in the end, he died. 

And if the story stopped there, we would call it a tragedy.  We would say it was very sad.  We would probably not tell any of our friends to read it, because what's the point....the good guy dies in the end.

Thankfully, for me, for you, for everyone ever to live in this world, the story doesn't end there.  In fact, that's just where it starts getting good....because we all know what comes next!!  HE AROSE!!  And if you know someone who doesn't know the rest of the story, please tell them now.  Don't think of it like a ruining the best part of the book or movie.....spill the beans, spoil the spoiler.....TELL THE WORLD HE AROSE, HE LIVES, FOREVER! 

And don't forget to add in that we can also live forever, because of that ultimate sacrifice HE gave. 

• The sacrifice that cannot be stored in a pastel egg this season. 
• The sacrifice that is far sweeter than a dark chocolate bunny.
• The sacrifice that cannot be outdone by finding the golden prize egg--HE is the golden prize.
• The sacrifice that cannot be held in an adorable, woven, painted, monogrammed basket.
• The sacrifice that will never hide inside a bunch of plastic grass.

This month's verse comes from one of the gospels, Luke.  And as I searched, I noticed that Luke is the only gospel that gives this particular information in his account of Jesus' death.  The other gospels say that Jesus cried out, loudly, and then they also mention that afterwards he gave his last breath.  But what they leave out, and what ultimately Luke left in, spoke right to my heart.  And so, I am praying it will also speak directly to yours:

"Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit."  When he had said this, he breathed his last."  ~~Luke 23:46

Luke gives us these humble words from Jesus.....and I can't wait to get to heaven and tell Luke, thanks.  Thanks for these words which I think we should all live by.  It should be something that we speak out, something that we cry out in a loud voice to the Lord, every single day he gives us breath...."Father, into your hands I commit my spirit"!!

Every single day, wake up and offer your life to the Lord. 

• Offer your talents to be used for the Lord. 
• Offer your desire to be in His will. 
• Offer your eyes to be opened to what He is showing you. 
• Offer your service to obey His commands.
• Offer your ears to hear what He is speaking to you.
• Offer your heart to hide his words in.....because you just never know when you, or someone around you, will need to hear them.

Y'all, I know I say it probably every month, but I just love this verse.  I don't know that I've ever really comtemplated it as much as I should.  

Father, in our quest to be more like Christ, let us all give our spirit to you, to mold, shape, and keep safe in your hands.

Happy Easter!
He Arose!