"Because he looked death in the face and didn't flinch, 
because he embraced the company of the lowest
He took on his shoulders the sin of the many, 
he took up the cause of the black sheep." Isaiah 53:11-12 MSG

Anyone who thinks they're too good or good enough to get into Heaven on their own accord or by their own good deeds are sorrowfully mistaken.  Pride tells us we don't need Jesus Christ just as those who rejected and scorned Him, those who put Him to death did.  When we think that way it puts us in the company of the holy rollers, religious leaders whether it's realized or not.    The building the church meets in every Sunday, week after week, could be considered a hospital for sick people.  We come destitute, barren and broken needing help when we first come home after a time spent away from the Lord.  He welcomes all!  For if we're honest we could all fall into the "too proud", "think we're good enough" category.  Jesus is for anyone convinced of their filth, finally seeing sin for what it is.  Or for those who are sick and tired of being sick and tired or feeling hopeless.  That hopelessness stemming from believing life really has no meaning or for those who are wondering if it does.  To answer those inquiring minds, one need only look at the cross at Calvary and find meaning and hope.  In light of the glory of God, we realize just how not good we really are.  It should cause us to bow in reverence before a Holy God, who is who He says He is, Right and Just, Love and Truth. 

Because of our sin, we face impeding judgment because we've committed these sins against the Holy One of Israel, the Maker of Heaven and Earth.  God says, "If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments; Then I will visit their transgressions with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes" (Psalm 88:31-32 KJV).  You could argue all day long that because of this harsh judgment that God is unkind, unloving and cruel.  Yet if you read further on up in Isaiah 53 (the introduction verses), we read "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed" (v.5).  There is no other god like Him.  He is the One True God.  And the truth is He is a God of mercy, forgiveness, love and compassion.  To have sent His only Son to die for sinners like you and like me.

Sin separates us from God, but thankfully the covering of the blood of Jesus, who clothes us with His righteousness, reconciles us back to Him.   Isaiah 61:10 "I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels."  We are the bride of Christ, His church, His holy people because of what He's done for us on the cross.  

And speaking of being the bride of Christ, that brings me to The Marriage Project.  It feels kind of crazy to even write that...The Marriage Project because I've held it so near and dear to my heart for almost 2 years as I've sat with God in it, prayed with Him about it, cried, rejoiced, seen things with new eyes because of it.  I hesitate to share too much too soon because for now, I only feel led to give a brief introduction as I continue in what He's called me to do with it.  I feel as if He has a bit more in store and it's not quite ready just yet. 

So what exactly is it?  I'm so excited that He hasn't given me the green light to share more until now because how beautifully it ties in with the message of Good Friday and that first Isaiah scripture, "the cause of the black sheep".  We are the rebels, the black sheep saved by His mercy and grace.  And we want to shout it from the rooftops!  The vision is to share the stories and testimonies of couples God has and is continuing to connect me with and hear of the goodness of our Great God and all He's done in their life and marriages.  This blog post is inspired by my interview with couple #4 this past Tuesday who are friends of mine.  I went over to their first apartment as newlyweds, where they made me a yummy dinner, we laughed a lot and then we got down to business (which let's be real, was still so much fun!)  The wisdom God has given these couples through marriage, what its purpose is and how they're growing in love with Him causing them to grow deeper in love with each other has blown me away.  It gets me excited to think about that next chapter in my own story.  And without even having experienced marriage for myself, God is preparing me, shaping me, opening up my heart to it so that in due time my heart will be ready to receive this amazing gift, another extension of His love for me.  This gift of marriage is what He uses to display His relationship with the church, His people, His holy nation.  I've often felt like this is a project filled with royalty, literal queens and kings of God's Kingdom, because of who these individuals are in Christ. 

"But you were the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God's instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night and day difference he made for you - from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted" (1 Peter 2:9 MSG)

We are not our own.  These are people sold out for the cause of Christ.  Vessels willing to tell others of where their hope is found, the good news of the cross and salvation.  They'll admit that without Christ, their marriage and lives would look a lot different.  We wouldn't want to imagine where our lives would have taken us had it not been for God's intervention. 

Leaving my friend's apartment the other night I was so fired up to get praying more about this.  You guys, these testimonies are power!  And it's with great anticipation I wait, to share more of what God has shown me, revealed to me about His heart toward marriage.  I have to admit, last year was a hard one for me in that department.  Or maybe I shouldn't say hard, but I couldn't find it in me to keep praying for any sort of future anything because I had fought so long, so hard on my knees, with wet eyes for that person and felt like God wasn't answering how I expected Him to and I couldn't find it in me to soldier on.  What's amazing though, is it did free me up to focus on this task at hand, this marriage project, and even in that He was still working at getting me back to a place of believing, hoping, and praying for His best in this area in my life.  And how thankful I am that He doesn't give us what we think we think we need, but what we truly need and continues to shape the desires of our hearts.  I write that in faith and I know that people are praying for me, because it's evident in the revival of my heart, being able to pray for my husband, for our marriage, future and all that comes with it.  

To experience that portrait of His sacrificial, dying love for us through experiencing marriage is what I so look forward to.  And a sneak little tidbit of one thing He's shown me, is that we go to the altar to be altered.  If you're entering into marriage or a covenant or even have just made a commitment to Christ, you're giving Him permission to alter you.  In the best way possible! It may not be easy but what great thing is ever easy?  I love the lyrics in a song, "If it doesn't hurt, then you aren't loving hard.  Look at Jesus on the cross, he got a ton of scars..."  So instead of standing at the altar and saying, "I do" rather we should say, "I die".  Because to get it right, we must have that mindset that we die to self as we enter in covenant with Christ and one day our spouse.  And that's exactly the charge behind this project.  And who these people are that He's connecting me with.  They're the real deal.  And keep praying for me and this project so I can get these exciting couple's stories and testimonies out and shared with the world.  They're too good to not share.  Exciting things are most definitely ahead. 

"They defeated him through the blood of the Lamb and the word of their witness.  They weren't in love with themselves; they were willing to die for Christ" Revelation 12:11 MSG

Who is 'he'?  The accuser.  The enemy of our souls.  Satan.  Who'd like nothing more than to keep you from experiencing all the goodness and freedom God offers through Christ.  And we can celebrate the cross and resurrection Sunday because he and death are defeated once for all!  

And I wanted to bring it back around to this talk about judgment and eternal separation from God.  This can be a topic many try to avoid all their lives.  I know I used to squirm in my seat at church thinking about this and I would put it off for later "because I had a long life ahead of me" (that was my rationalization).  I could decide to accept Jesus later after I had all my fun.  But how foolish to think that way.  We are not promised tomorrow (James 4:13-14).  And you know what?  The squirminess came from another place.  If I was honest with myself, I couldn't confidently say I would go to Heaven if I were to die tomorrow.  And it wasn't until I was saved by this amazing, unending grace that I knew where I was going when death one day comes and its cause for rejoicing when you have that assurance of Heaven!  My pastor always says, "statistics are that 1 in every 1 person will die.  It's a proven fact."  No one escapes death.  So on this Good Friday, if you're uncertain where you would go if you were to die tomorrow, you can be certain by praying a simple prayer.  You can pray right now to the LORD and admit where you've fallen short, confess your sin and believe this message of the cross and the power it has to save.  Be made whole, be cleansed by the blood of the sacrificial Lamb, Jesus.  There is power in the blood, power in the name of Jesus.  And He is the only way to Heaven.  "I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6 NIV).  

So will you accept Jesus today as your Lord and Savior?  He already has died for you, it's just a matter of you opening your heart to this free gift of salvation and receiving it.  I pray your heart be opened this weekend.  And may your life be forever changed! 
Thanks for trekking with me, reading 'til the end.
In Christ, 
Alysha