As we celebrate Easter today I am taken back to the reason I got this tattoo when i was 21. I was a Junior in college at JMU and had just finished Beth Moore's study called Breaking Free. Through her study, God taught me what it means to really live in freedom in this life and to surrender all to Him.
Easter is all about celebrating Christ dying on the cross for each of us and our sins, and then rising from the grave and defeating death. He tore the veil giving us access to a personal relationship with Him. Without the perfect sacrifice (Jesus) we would not be forgiven for our sinful nature and have access to God. Praise Jesus that we have a God who loves us so much that He sent His only Son to die in our place. That truth brings great freedom.
I know everyone has a different opinion on tattoo's and may think differently about people who do. The reason I got my tattoo was because I wanted to literally brand myself with Jesus's name and have a constant reminder on my body of what He has done for me. He died so that I can be free from death, sin, and bondage to the things of this world. I don't regret it now and I don't think I will in 50 years either. It has been a conversation starter which sparks conversations about Jesus and why He is the most important thing in my life.
One of the craziest parts was getting this tattoo. Yes, they do hurt a ton! While the guy was tattooing me, he asked why I was getting it and I told him. Then he went on to say 'wow it is crazy to think that this is where Jesus was nailed into the cross right in his wrist.' While I was going through that little bit of pain of the needle putting ink in my wrist it put the crucifixion in a whole new perspective. Jesus was nailed to a cross for me, and for you. He went through the most painful death so that you and I could have everlasting life with Him.
Thinking through this weekend and what Jesus did for me on the cross brings me to my knees. I am eternally grateful and only hope I can spend my life serving Him and loving people the way He did while He was on this earth. I am so glad Jesus defeated death forever! Praise God!
This weekend I looked up some verses on freedom and included the ones in this post that really impacted me. They are all reflective of the reasons I got my tattoo and what freedom in Christ really means.
This is the main verse that gave me the inspiration to get my tattoo.
"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." -John 8:32
The truth is that Jesus loves you, your family, your friends and everyone in the world. We live in a broken world full of sinful people so trials will still come. But that doesn't change Gods love for us or His plan for us. His love brings freedom to my life because He is my identity, not what anyone else thinks about me, or the accomplishments I have in my life.
Jesus sets us free from being slaves to sin. Being a slave to sin is becoming enslaved to our own selfish desires and actions. So thankful for freedom!
"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." -Galatians 5:1
"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." -2 Corinthians 3:17
One of the most famous verses in scripture is this:
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." -John 3:16
This is the story of Easter and the reason for our freedom! We will have eternal life in heaven if we believe in Him.
This is one of Jesus's most famous sermons. He talks about proclaiming freedom to the captives. This verse is one of the reasons I am serving with Araminta to help free the young girls enslaved in domestic human trafficking.
"He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives." -Isaiah 61:1
This verse makes me happy - who wouldn't want to have a free heart? :)
"I run in the path of your commands for you have set my heart free." - Psalm 119:32
The Bible finishes up talking about freedom in Revelation:
"To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen." -Revelation 1:5 & 6
Thank you Jesus for shedding your blood so we could have life. We praise you on this Easter Sunday.
I hope you have a Happy Easter today with your families. Don't forget what God did by sending His Son to pay the ultimate sacrifice for us. He is risen! Live in the freedom of His love today :)