My understanding of time indicates that as I write this (about 9 a.m. ATL time), 2000 or so years ago the soldiers were removing Jesus from the cross. Battered, bloody. The people around fearful. What will they do with Him? One of the religious leaders of the day will claim the body and offer a tomb for burial. It will be a hasty burial because Sabbath is quickly approaching. The body is not prepared as it normally would have been. Laid in a tomb, dark, cold, alone.

“By His stripes we are healed.” Our weak personality flaws. Our fear. Our failures. Our sin. Scripture says our sin is “removed as far as the east is from the west.” “God remembers our sin no more.”

God does not see you and I as we see ourselves. We are reminded daily of our sin and weaknesses. Perhaps there is someone in your life that keeps reminding you of your past. Or someone that is quick to remind you of your present and reminds you daily of your inability to be perfect. Or maybe there is someone that keeps telling you that you are no good and will never make it in this world. THIS IS NOT HOW GOD SEES YOU! GOD SEES YOU PERFECT, COMPLETE, WITH A PREFERRED FUTURE!

It is because of Easter that God can see us as Perfect and Complete. When you look at yourself do you see the Easter view or the pre-Easter view? If you are still looking at the pre-Easter person then you may be giving yourself permission to sin. If you see the Easter view you are able to better combat temptation because you see yourself as God sees you and not as the person you were. “By His stripes YOU are healed!” Live it.

Free! Clean! Resurrected as a new person! Only in Jesus! Celebrate!